I participated in my first University of Louisville Dance Marathon my freshman year as a dancer. I was excited to participate because I love to dance, but I had no idea the impact that this event would have on me. My team was dancing for Andrew who had already passed away from cancer. But that gave me even more of a reason to dance. In the speech given to us by his mother, she said that he never once complained about the pain, or asked “why me?” The realization that I had been complaining about my life hit me so hard at that moment. I was just thinking about how much longer I had to stand, or that my feet hurt, or that I “needed my sleep.” The children that we were dancing for would give anything to dance, anything to stand, and I was taking that for granted. This little boy, who I had never known, made me take a step back and appreciate all that I have in my life. He also made me realize that I should use my talents, gifts, and knowledge to help those around me instead of just going through the motions.
That night I decided that I wanted to be a part of this organization, and becoming a Team Leader was the perfect way to do so. The next year, I applied right away and was overjoyed to find out that I was selected to be a Team Leader for raiseRED. The process was so much fun. Choreographing the line dance with my fellow team leaders, going to meetings, and receiving updates about the plans for the event made me even more excited to spend 18 hours showing the university and community what we had worked for.
That night I decided that I wanted to be a part of this organization, and becoming a Team Leader was the perfect way to do so. The next year, I applied right away and was overjoyed to find out that I was selected to be a Team Leader for raiseRED. The process was so much fun. Choreographing the line dance with my fellow team leaders, going to meetings, and receiving updates about the plans for the event made me even more excited to spend 18 hours showing the university and community what we had worked for.
On the night of raiseRED, I was more than excited to dance and lead the light pink team. We were representing a little girl named Taylor. She was only 18 months old and was already one of the strongest people I knew. She had survived cancer and was thankfully in remission. I absolute
The applications for being a part of raiseRED as a Team Leader or Morale Committee member are now live and I encourage anybody who is interested in becoming a part of such a great organization to apply. You can find the applications at raisered.org/joinourteam, and if you have any other questions feel free to email our Team Leader & Morale Directors at [email protected].
For The Kids,
Courtney Puckett
Junior, Psychology Major
Event Management Director
ly couldn’t wait to meet her and for my team members to really see the power of their dancing and fundraising. When Taylor and her parents came to the event that morning, I could instantly see a change in the attitude of my team members. It is one of the most gratifying things to see how you can impact your peers. By leading the dancers on the light pink team, I helped them to see the impact they were making on that family’s life. Taylor’s parents thanked us throughout the whole 4 hours that they were there. They thanked us for being a part of this organization, and for celebrating Taylor’s strength. Being a Team Leader or a Morale Committee member is a wonderful way to get involved in this incredible event and truly grow as a person. You will not only be influencing dancers, but you will also make a difference in the lives of these incredible families, children, and the community. The applications for being a part of raiseRED as a Team Leader or Morale Committee member are now live and I encourage anybody who is interested in becoming a part of such a great organization to apply. You can find the applications at raisered.org/joinourteam, and if you have any other questions feel free to email our Team Leader & Morale Directors at [email protected].
For The Kids,
Courtney Puckett
Junior, Psychology Major
Event Management Director