On Saturday, April 1, students at Winfield-Mount Union Schools danced for a cause, raising $3,910.80 for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Their sixth annual Mini Dance Marathon helped support the Dance Marathon at the university.

Held in the WMU gymnasium, the event included a DJ, karaoke, and a variety of dance games and competitions. It also featured guest speaker, Chris Parkhurst, current Louisa-Muscatine High School Principal and former WMU teacher. Parkhurst spoke about his family’s experience with the children’s hospital following his son’s diagnosis with Childhood Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

The University of Iowa Dance Marathon began in 1995, and has since raised over $34 million dollars for the children’s hospital. The mission of the event is to “create and sustain special projects to provide emotional and financial support and services for pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant patients and their families.” WMU students contributed to this year’s total of $1,174,008.29 raised.