RockeTHON is celebrating 16 years at The University of Toledo this weekend when the largest student-run philanthropy event on campus is set to raise its millionth dollar for Mercy Children’s Hospital.

Since the 13-hour dance marathon began in 2001, $970,000 has been raised for children’s health care.

“Our mission is to create miracles for sick children in our community by raising funds and awareness for Toledo’s local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital,” said Julianne Putano, overall director of RockeTHON. “We are able to see the impact that we make on a local level, and throughout the years, we have helped hundreds of families. All of the money that we raise goes to providing crucial treatments, programs and equipment for the children who are treated at Mercy Children’s Hospital.”

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend RockeTHON from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 8 in Savage Arena.

As part of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon, UT is one of more than 300 universities and colleges across the country to hold dance marathons benefiting Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

Putano encourages donations to the RockeTHON drive, stating that her team needs all the help they can get to reach their goal this year of raising $200,000.

“We work hard all year long to not only put on an amazing 13-hour dance marathon, but to hold fundraising events as much as we can for the hospital,” Putano said. “The culmination of our yearlong fundraising effort is the dance marathon where we are able to meet many of the children and families who have been impacted by what we do, and they are our motivation. They are the strongest, bravest and happiest people we have ever met, so we do everything we can to support them.”

To register for RockeTHON or donate, visit https://events.dancemarathon.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=1216.