Dance Marathon is looking to beat their record-breaking 2016 fundraising total by more than $100,000, and they're hoping to get participants started early in order to meet the goal.
Dance Marathon president Gabi Santos, a fifth-year public relations student, believes the group is up to the challenge of raising $700,000.
"It is a big jump, but I know that we can do it," she said. She added that it's important for the group to focus on outreach for "membership development" and helping participants to become more involved.
"People start to understand our cause a little bit more every time we come out on Greene Street," Santos said. So far, Dance Marathon has registered between 800 and 900 participants for this year's main event.
Members announced this year's goal, up from last year's total of just under $528,000, on Wednesday with a release of mylar balloons on Greene Street. Santos says the eye-catching literal release was the brainchild of Kaity Lynch, vice president for public relations.
Lynch, a third-year visual communications and marketing student, says the goal is based on internal discussions to figure out what's "achievable." She hopes spreading the goal to the campus community will help "inspire" early donations.
"Right now marks that we're just trying to get everyone who's already registered fundraising," Lynch said. "A lot of people don't sense the urgency until January or February when our event's a month away."
For SGTV coverage of the reveal, click here.