This weekend, Delta Tau Delta and the Student Programming Board will be hosting Quinnipiac’s first Dance-A-Thon benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network.

“[The Delts] have tried to pursue this for a few years now,” former Delt president Neil Brown said. “But seeing as we were new on campus we had to build up our reputation.”

After many years of discussing the organization of such an event, it was Interfraternity Council President and Delt junior Jaime Mor who brought the idea back up in September.

“Neil and I have always been interested into bringing this event onto campus,” Mor said. “We have heard and seen amazing things that this kind of an event can do for a community. When we got talking with SPB and realized that we could have this as an event in spirit week, we thought there is no better way to bring together our entire Quinnipiac community before the Yale game.”

According to Adnan Babaic, Delt’s public relations chariman, the event stemmed from the organization’s desire to hold a philanthropy event in the spring.

“Although Delt is known for Movember, we feel as though we needed an event to bring to campus during the spring semester,” Babaic said. “We hope to move off the momentum of our first dance marathon and make this an annual event.”

Penn State held THON, a 46-hour IFC/Panhellenic dance marathon, last weekend, raising more than $10.68 million for pediatric cancer, according to a report in the Washington Post. The total shattered last year’s record by over a million dollars. The fundraiser is the largest “student-run philanthropy in the world.”

“When I saw the $10 million reported, I was very impressed,” Parent said. “Penn State’s efforts are a shining example of what we would like to someday accomplish here. They plan their events starting 18 months out and have total campus involvement. I think that Quinnipiac, and more specifically the sponsoring organizations, need to look at how this year’s event goes and build on the good and improve the bad.”

The goal of the event is simple: raise money for the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford and have a great time.

“The SPB goal is to have a successful co-sponsorship with a fraternity,” Kristin Cagney, SPB traditions and community chair said. “Our most important goal, however, is to raise awareness and money for the Children’s Miracle Network. We will accomplish this goal by dancing the night away!”

Over 120 dancers have registered for the event on Feb. 24 from 7 p.m. to midnight in Burt Kahn Court. Dancers will pay a $10 entry fee and will be given a t-shirt, food and entertainment.

Any one interested in attending can still register at the event or on http://tinyurl.com/QUDance2012.