WORTHY BENEFIT
47th South High Marathon Dance raises nearly $750K
>> The students of South Glens Falls High School participated in the 47th South High Marathon Dance this past weekend, raising a total of $746,887.25.
Over two days, these high school students spent 28 hours dancing, taking part in activities and challenges, and raising money for individuals, families and organizations in need of financial assistance.
The top-3 student fundraisers this year reached a combined fundraising total of $36,752.67, with those fundraisers being Natalie Mallette ($13,506.32), Logan Mahoney ($11,761.95), and Natalee Tucker ($11,453.80). Over the program’s history, the South High Marathon Dance has provided $10.5 million to 641 beneficiaries in and around the South Glens Falls area.
While many alumni and community members take part and assist, the event is a student-run operation led primarily by a team of their peers that make up the Student Chair Committee. This team of students coordinates getting people together for decorating, choreographing, coming up with songs for the student body to vote on, making the opening and closing videos, and overseeing the operations leading up to the event.
Michaela Tracy, a senior and member of the Student Chair Committee, shared it was her final year being able to take part as a student participant in Marathon Dance and spoke very highly of not only the event but the outpouring of support the community showed. She also touched on the fact that she will miss the way Marathon Dance brought everyone together and formed connections between those who might not typically interact during their normal school experience.
“This is such a community thing for us, and just being able to be around people who want to help others is so special, especially in times that are hard and for people who need help and support. It’s nice to feel connected to everyone,” Tracy said.
This year marked the first year that the community was truly able to come back into the fold and attend the Marathon Dance since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Being able to invite the public back in to take part in the fun and camaraderie of the South High Marathon Dance experience truly brings back an energy that hasn’t been present since the pandemic.
“We’re still kind of in transition from the days of COVID, but the feeling of ‘old marathon’ is really coming back,” said Roy Ruby, member of the South High Dance Marathon Board of Directors. “At the same time, we’re getting a feeling for the ‘new’ as there’s this influx of new experiences that we had because of COVID which actually created some positive things to help us make the event better.
“I think we really combined what worked with and the nostalgia of the ‘old’ and then brought in the ‘new,’ and it’s really working for us”
Some of the new experiences utilized in the postCOVID event is working hard to meet the needs of the students to ensure that everyone who wants to be involved can be involved. One way this was done is by creating avenues to meet students where they are, making arrangements for those who cannot dance and par
ticipate for 28 hours to be able to go get some rest and return.
According to the South High Marathon Dance website, more than 80% of the school’s population dances in the marathon dance, with 700 students participating in this year’s event. Throughout the duration, these students are on their feet dancing, taking part in activities such as a hula hoop challenge or frozen t-shirt race, costume contest and more.
“I think it was better and more challenging than I expected at the same time,” Silis Fichtner, a freshman and first-year dancer, said. “I feel like thought I’d have the energy the whole way, which I sort of did, but at points, it was kind of tough. We’ve just been dancing our hearts out and showing that we have love and support for these recipients.”
Fichtner shared his favorite part of the event has been how everyone comes together, puts their differences aside and becomes like a big family.
“I think (Marathon Dance) is so important because it doesn’t happen everywhere, and the places where it does happen it doesn’t get to the levels that it is here. We can keep growing on the amount we get every year because our community is as strong as it is,” Fichtner said. “I look forward to seeing how the event improves during my time here, and if it can because obviously, it is amazing as it is now, but I think it would be cool to see how it can improve from what it is.
Ultimately the students do this to benefit those in their community who are in need of assistance, this year raising money for 34 beneficiaries.
The money received is truly life-changing and when getting the chance to express their gratitude for the student’s hard work, many of the recipients were moved to tears. Christina Zeh, a previous student/ participant in Marathon
Dance and now a parent to one of the recipients Marshall Zeh, was one of many who could not thank the students enough.
“To be here and to have Marshall nominated and selected as a recipient is beyond anything we could have imagined,” Zeh said. “We can’t even begin to describe how grateful we are for this opportunity. I was in your spot 20 years ago, almost to the day and now to be on the other side is absolutely amazing and I can’t even think of the words to describe it.
“The marathon dance has always held a special place in my heart but now it means so much more because you’re helping my son and helping him continue to grow and speak along with his other disabilities. We’re all here united by a common purpose and as we stand together, our hearts are brimming with excitement and compassion, we recognize that your acts of kindness ripple through time touching souls and transforming destinies.
“You’re not only merely participating in the Marathon Dance — you’re architects of change, weaving threads of love and compassion throughout the fabric of existence.”
The event has transformed an incredible amount since it was started in 1978 as a small dance partner dance in the high school gym now a major event live streamed event, but one thing has been kept the same which is the heart and desire that goes into being stewards for their community.
“I tell my students all the time to please remember that Marathon (Dance) isn’t about a dance, it’s not about a weekend in March,” Ruby explained. “It’s a feeling, it’s a state of mind, and they should carry Marathon spirit throughout the year. Marathons aren’t easy, they’re long and they take a lot of work, but there is a lot of satisfaction when you reach the end.
“That’s the big thing is to remind people that marathon is not just about a weekend in March.”