HuskyTHON Day of Strength will occur on Feb. 21, where the University of Connecticut community will take on the challenge of raising $315,000 in 24 hours for the patients and families at Connecticut Children’s.
According the a press release, all HuskyTHON participants are challenged to raise a minimum of $137 for the 137,000 patients treated by Connecticut Children’s in 2023. The funds raised on Day of Strength will go directly toward HuskyTHON’s year-long fundraising effort, which will conclude at the end of the 18-hour dance marathon on March 2 in the Hugh S. Greer Field House.
Corina Massey, graduate curriculum and instruction and elementary education student and vice president of communications for HuskyTHON, said there will be incentives on Day of Strength to encourage participants to raise money.
“For every $137 you raise, you will be entered to win round-trip tickets through Avelo Airlines to any destination at any airport of your choosing,” Massey said.
Massey said participants are also encouraged to go beyond to raise more than $137 for additional day-only incentives. Massey added that for every $300 you raise on Day of Strength, you will be entered to win a 10-day, all-inclusive vacation to St. James Club in Antigua. For every $500, participants will receive a fanny pack; for $900, they will receive a long-sleeve shirt.
Massey, who has been involved in HuskyTHON for three years, said they also have other incentives for most creative fundraisers for the day to promote fundraising.
“If you post your fundraiser on social media and tag us, you could win floor tickets to UConnic this year, and since the tickets haven’t gone on sale, it is a great way to guarantee a spot that you get on the floor,” Massey said.
Massey said on Feb. 21, they will be in Student Union room 104 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., where participants can learn about ways to fundraise, receive incentives, have photo opportunities and purchase the Day of Strength merchandise collection. There will also be HuskyTHRIFT, where students can make purchases, and a car smash on Fairfield Way, where anyone can smash a car for $3, with all proceeds going toward HuskyTHON.
Massey added that it is not too late to sign up for HuskyTHON, and if you register on Day of Strength, you will receive a Dunkin Hot Card.
When asked how HuskyTHON participation is going this year, Massey said that overall, they have had a record-breaking year of participants, with over 4,000 students so far.
“We are only going to get more, so we really appreciate the community showing up early this year and really coming together under one common purpose,” Massey said.
Since 1999, HuskyTHON has raised over 12 million dollars for the patients and families at Connecticut Children’s. This year, it celebrates its 25th anniversary with the campaign “Build the Moment.”
“We really have been working every day since June of donor drive opening and will be up until March 2 to build a moment where we can live in a world without childhood illness and build the moment, our moment, which is when we finally can raise that number and see what we can achieve,” Massey said.
Although participants can fundraise until March 2, HuskyTHON Day of Strength is the last biggest push for fundraising. Last year, HuskyTHON Day of Strength surpassed its fundraising goal of $275,000 in 24 hours, contributing to the organization’s fundraising total of $1,480,255.
“I think the biggest thing with Day of Strength is we have all of these awesome people involved in the organization, but we really need everyone to activate and come together and unite as one to really make that number be something magical and leave a mark on the 25th anniversary,” Massey said.
Massey said, for the first time, they will be doing a live in-person reveal of the day’s total to build hype and excitement. The next morning, on Feb. 22 at 9 a.m., they will reveal the day amount on the Student Union Terrace.
“This is our biggest day. It really helps us set the tone for the night of and the number we reveal on March 2. So we hope that everyone goes all out and it is a really fun, exciting day. I’m super hyped for it,” Massey said.
Online donations can be made by visiting the HuskyTHON website, or you can register for the event by texting “HUSKYTHON” to 51-555.