Luther raises $38,612.01 in first Dance Marathon

2014 May 6

Clay Walker, a Luther College junior from Iowa City, Iowa, was a member of the Luther Dance Marathon executive board that raised a total of $38,612.01 to send to the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Dance Marathon is a nationwide movement involving college and high school students at more than 150 schools across the country. Walker, the son of Kristy Walker and Bob Walker of Iowa City, Iowa , is a 2011 graduate of Iowa City West High School. He is majoring in biology at Luther.

"I decided to help start Dance Marathon at Luther because I really wanted to give back to my home town.  I have to drive by the new Children's Hospital every day to get to work in the summer so now I can proudly say that I played my role in bettering the lives of those treated there," Walker said.

After a year-long commitment from more than 500 people, the year culminated in a 12-hour long event where students stayed on their feet through dancing, games and entertainment in celebration of the total amount raised.

After two years of careful planning Luther students Paul Esker, Chloe Gumpert, Jordan Jensen and Libby Logsden convened an executive board and coordinated the event.

The public campus fundraising goal was $15,000, but Gumpert said the executive board wanted to raise one more cent than the 2013 Wartburg College Dance Marathon goal of $32,000.

The two largest sponsorships came from the community businesses of Mabe's Pizza and the Magpie Coffeehouse. Other sponsors included Pizza Hut, Happy Joe's, Pizza Ranch, Mr. Groovy's, Kepharts, Coldwell Banker Hedges Realty, Fridley Theaters, Oneota Co-op, Decorah Veterinary Clinic and Love Your Melon.