OttoTHON 2016: What to expect and how to get involved

Syracuse, New York is home to a number of hospitals, all of which offer internships and volunteer opportunities to Syracuse University students every semester. The one with the closest tie to the University, however, is undoubtedly the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital located just around the corner from SU. The hospital treats children of all ages and conducts research in many areas such as blood disorders, oncology, genetics, child abuse, and diabetes. The doctors and researchers at Upstate Golisano strives “to be the location for child health care, health policy, pediatric education and pediatric research in Upstate New York.”

Every November, students at Syracuse University put on OttoTHON, a twelve-hour dance marathon fundraiser for the children at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Goldstein Auditorium turns into a positive dancing space for hundreds of students who participate individually or with their respective student organizations. Each individual is required to raise at least $100 to be able to participate in the event. For the past two years, First Year Players has raised the most amount of money for OttoTHON as an organization.

Members of FYP dance to raise money at OttoTHON

The Dance Marathon movement began in 1972 at Penn State University as a way for students to raise money for the Interfraternity Council. Since then, tons of American universities have joined the movement in collaboration with the Children’s Miracle Network including Syracuse University who joined the movement quite recently.

This year OttoTHON will be held this Sunday, November 6, 2016 starting at 10am. The Tab spoke with the Executive Director for the 2016-2017 academic year, Laurie Beth Koller.

Members of the Organizing Committee

Laurie Beth got involved with OttoTHON during her freshman year by joining two committees (groups of people from specific organizations on campus that participate in the event together). “The first event change my life. I was hooked.” She was the Dancer Relations Chair during her sophomore year and has since had the honor of being promoted to be the Executive Director of the event. “OttoTHON has given be something to believe in with my whole heart. With so much negativity in the world, this cause is based on pure happiness. OttoTHON has brought me the most happiness and will be continue to bring so much happiness to myself but also to so many others.”

All proceeds from the event go directly to the children at Upstate. It “means choices for the families and children…They have the decisions that aren’t just what type of medical help they should receive but they also have the non-medical choices as well.” Upstate caters directly to children, meaning they have play rooms, movie screenings in private rooms, multi-sensory rooms, and even an education room. OttoTHON helps to fund these amazing additions to the hospital that not every children’s hospital can offer. For families, Upstate has “laundry services and family sleeping rooms where parents and family members can get out of their room and sleep in a nice bed.”

To register for the event, click here. #FTK