Five members of UF's award-winning Dance Marathon team traveled to Orlando last week to film a commercial and attend the Children's Miracle Network Celebration, an event honoring about 70 children from around the world for their positive attitudes in the face of medical struggles.
Representatives for UF's event were sent after receiving a summer award recognizing the school's fundraising efforts and overall program, which typically draws more than 600 dancers, according to Madison Cheatwood, public relations chairwoman of Dance Marathon at UF.
The Orlando celebration, which also highlighted national efforts made by Children's Miracle Network last year, comes just before UF's event, which will be held April 4 and 5.
UF's Dance Marathon, which has raised more than $2.8 million since starting in 1995, is an event where participants stay on their feet for 26.2 hours to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network at Shands Children's Hospital at UF.
While at the celebration, two team members filmed a national commercial that will air during the cause's telethon this summer.
After being styled for the set on Thursday, Justine Cubbage and Kristine Putrino appeared with Olympic gold-medalist Mary Lou Retton and delivered a plug about UF's Dance Marathon.
Cubbage, overall chairwoman for UF's Dance Marathon, said UF's team members received autograph books with the story of each child who attended the celebration and went around asking the children for autographs.
Cubbage said she was amazed to see what the children had gone through, and the experience reminded her of the event's true purpose.
She said she watched a video about a child from Australia that brought her to tears.
"Hearing his story reminds me why I spend so much time and effort working on Dance Marathon," she said.
Putrino, hospitality chairwoman for UF's Dance Marathon, said she could see the excitement on the children's faces.
"It was really fun to see how much they loved the event and how much they loved that we were there," she said.
A kickoff event and toy drive for UF's Dance Marathon will take place March 29 at Flavet Field.
