Penn’s Dance Marathon FTK raises more than $25,000

A group of Penn students pulled off a pretty amazing fundraising feat during this pandemic shutdown raising $25,008.12 for Riley Children’s Hospital!!!

The student group called, Penn’s Dance Marathon FTK (For The Kids), raises money for Riley Children’s Hospital year round. Fundraising started in the fall with a few events at Bittersweet Elementary School.  This allowed Bittersweet to become a “Kids Sharing & Caring School” through Riley. 

At Penn, the senior male students collected donations as part of the “Powder Puff King” contest in a weeklong competition.  The student who collects the most money wins the coveted crown!  The crowning ceremony takes place right before the championship Powder Puff game held in September.  This year students raised $1,400! 

Dance Marathon FTK also worked with Kingsmen Court for the “Turkey Legs” contest during November. Penn staff members volunteer to wear shorts for a week and collect money. This year students raised approximately $4,000 and Mr. Dominic Ball was crowned the Turkey Legs winner!

Students also collected canned goods at a couple of basketball games, hosted a few restaurant givebacks, along with two Board and Brush nights.  For the last big fundraiser, students sold South Bend Chocolates.  

Online fundraising began in October and continued through Friday, April 17. Students worked to meet their fundraising goal, even during the school shutdown due to COVID-19, by reaching out to friends and relatives. Prior to the crisis, students sought funds from businesses and a variety of competitions and games.  

Penn’s Dance Marathon FTK is not just about fundraising, but also about connecting with Riley families within the P-H-M family; one example of this was the Halloween party for Riley families that the FTK Executive Board hosted.

This is the third year of the Dance Marathon FTK. Last year students raised $36,929.21, an increase of nearly 30 percent from the inaugural year of $25,090.16. This year’s fundraising amount of $25,008.12 was reached even without the group’s end of year Dance Marathon. This year the Dance Marathon was scheduled for April 18.

Penn Teacher Michele Ball is the sponsor of FTK; Amy Rice and Kate O'Brien were co-sponsors.