Students at Augustana College in Rock Island are eagerly anticipating this coming Saturday, Jan. 12, and their fifth annual Augustana College Dance Marathon.

Dance Marathon is the largest philanthropic event on the Augustana College campus. Students have raised over $43,000 in the past four years to benefit University of Iowa Children's Hospital through Children's Miracle Network. This year, students involved with Dance Marathon are hoping to raise more than $20,000 for this pediatric center of excellence.

This year's Dance Marathon will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, in the PepsiCo Center. The six-hour fundraiser will include more than 500 registered dancers who each raised at least $75 in order to participate. In addition, 30 family members will share their stories and experiences at UI Children's Hospital, and there will be games, live entertainment and lots of dancing. As in past years, the event promises to be emotion-filled as participants dance to make a difference in the lives of thousands of pediatric patients and families who will receive care at UI Children's Hospital.

Dance Marathon is a nationwide student-run philanthropy that raises money for Children's Miracle Network, which helps children and their families treated at UI Children's Hospital cope with everything from cancer to heart transplants, accidents to cystic fibrosis and other life-threatening illnesses.

Augustana College Dance Marathon has made an impact within UI Children's Hospital by providing toys and distraction items for the pediatric ambulatory surgery patient waiting area. Individuals interested in donating to Augustana College Dance Marathon can do so at http://www.kidsmiracles.org/augiedm. Simply click on 'Donate' or mail checks to: Augustana College Dance Marathon, 639 38th St., Rock Island, Ill. 61201. For more information about the event, send an e-mail to dancemarathon@augustana.edu.

For more information about Children's Miracle Network at UI Children's Hospital, contact Morgan Rohrbach at 319-335-8484.

University of Iowa Children's Hospital serves children and their families at its main campus in Iowa City and satellite clinics in communities throughout the region. A 180-bed 'hospital within a hospital,' UI Children's Hospital benefits from the sophisticated services and comprehensive resources of UI Hospitals and Clinics. Child magazine ranks UI Children's Hospital among the top 20 children's hospitals in the nation.

STORY SOURCE: Joint Office for Marketing and Communications, UI Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Room E110 GH, Iowa City, IA 52242-1009