Despite the questions about whether the Riley Dance Marathon fundraiser event was going to be in person or broadcasted virtually, there were plans for both. Jodie Depalma, the RDM sponsor, has confirmed that the event will be in person.
“We’ve just been tentative about whether or not we’d be allowed to have an in-person event based on COVID numbers and COVID guidelines,” Depalma said.
On April 30, SHS will be hosting an in-person dance marathon. The student-led event will be held in Cardinal Stadium on the football field and track. The event’s goal is to raise money for Riley Hospital for Children.
According to RDM President, junior Ellie Brown, the members of RDM weren’t sure that there was even going to be an in-person event.
“We had no idea of what was going to happen because of corona,” Brown said. “We didn’t even know we were coming back full time.”
Once the group had gotten approval from the school, the in-person event was initiated. There were also topics, such as COVID-19 restrictions, discussed.
“We will be following all the state guidelines as well as the school’s guidelines,” Brown said. ”Everyone will be wearing masks. We are going to have tons of hand sanitizer. We are going to do social distancing.”
The RDM event will also be divided into several different groups. Each group is assigned a color when they sign up to attend the event.
According to Depalma, there is a limit of 40 students per each of the 5 color groups. Each color group will be taken through activities such as line dancing and games, as well as dinner.
Students will also be able to pick their own color groups, so friends can come to the dance marathon together and stay with them for the day’s activities.
“This year, they’ll eat dinner with their color group, do a line dance with their color group, you’ll do group games with your color group, and we will be pretty strict about you staying with it,” Depalma said.
Activities throughout the event involve nine-square, soccer games and other outside games that don’t require much contact. SHS RDM members also hope to receive a dunk-tank. During the end of the event, there will also be Riley families speaking. If the families are not available or unable to travel to SHS, RDM members will read their letters out loud.

To register for RDM,
scan the QR code.