Dance Marathon raised over $1 million in March for Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, which is part of the Children’s Miracle Network.
In honor of reaching its lofty goal, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster declared that April 25 is South Carolina Dance Marathon Day. The ceremony took place at the State House with the Dance Marathon executive board in attendance.
"These are dynamic young people, and they need to be celebrated and praised because this is the future," said Samuel Tenenbaum, president of the Palmetto Health Foundation, on Good Morning Columbia Wednesday.
Tenenbaum also said that women in sororities have been the "driving force" of the organization, and now that the Interfraternity Council is joining, "hopefully they're going to knock it out of the park again."
The governor's declaration comes in USCDM's 20th year.
Dance Marathon organizations at Clemson University and College of Charleston were also honored for their fundraising efforts.
"They're doing it for kids in the hospital most of them will never meet," Tenenbaum said. "So this is the ultimate of what we're supposed to do as human beings."
While the million dollars will go to the hospital, according to Tenenbaum the additional dollars raised will go toward building a safe playground for the hospitalized children.