Thanks to everyone that registered for DemonTHON this past week! Especially those that registered during our big push on Child Health Day! For those of you that still want to get involved or those that registered but are still a little confused on what exactly they signed up for, this blog is here to help! We asked our Recruitment team and our Morale Chair, who leads the Morale Captains, to give everyone a run through.
DemonTHON is a yearlong campus organization focused on advocating, fundraising, and supporting the kids and families being treated at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. DemonTHON wants you to join us in our fight to end pediatric illness and injury for kids right here in our community! While everyone may know what DemonTHON is, many people don’t really know how exactly to participate. There are SO many different ways to get involved in DemonTHON.! Our organizational structure from the least involved to the most is as follows: members, team captain, morale captain, core committee, and management. If you are interested in being a part of our amazing organization, make sure to head over to demonthon.org and go to the top right corner and click register. Here it will prompt you to either pick a team or register as an individual. The fun thing about DemonTHON is you can either support on your own or with a friend!
DemonTHON is SO much more than just a student organization. By joining, you become a part of something that’s so much bigger than any of us as individuals, which is what makes it such a rewarding experience. Not only are you able to find a super friendly and supporting community on campus, but you’re also making a difference in the lives of so many kids and families who truly deserve it and need the support. While there are so many unique ways to get involved, we all strive towards the same goal and have a ton of fun doing it! Anyone who’s ever participated can tell you that seeing your hard work pay off at the big event is completely unlike anything you may have ever experienced, in a sense that you KNOW it was all worth it. But you’ll have to join to find out for yourself! FTK!!
My name is Kendall Palmer and I am the Recruitment and Retention Management Director for DemonTHON 2020-2021. I have been involved in this organization for the past four years because my best friend’s life was saved by the doctors at Lurie Children’s. The doctors and care team at Lurie Children’s advised Joe’s parents to preserve his younger brother’s umbilical cord because of the likelihood of his relapse. Ultimately, this saved Joe’s life and he has been cancer free for 12 years. DemonTHON build a bridge of support between DePaul’s campus and Lurie Children’s— and we do that through raising funds and awareness to support kids and families like Joe. Aside from this year’s management position, I have experience being a Morale Captain, Partnership Director, and Recruitment Director. This work has been mutually beneficial for both myself, and for the kids and families at Lurie Children’s who’ve forever left and impact on my heart.
My name is Mitch Barrett, and I am the Campus Recruitment Director for DemonTHON 2020-2021! I originally joined this organization to hang with my second cousin and didn’t know what to expect. From Morale to now my first year on the Core Committee, I have fallen in love with what DemonTHON truly means to me. My extended family has suffered through life changing tragedies being both my Grandma dying of prostate cancer and my cousin being diagnosed with a rare special needs condition. Lurie Children’s has shown that these events can be heartbreaking for families and they not only serve to provide the best medical care but also foster love and compassion in family’s toughest days. As a recruitment director, I strive to have everyone experience DemonTHON during their college career. I want everyone to feel first-hand the magic that happens when you can see the impact this organization can have on kids and families from different backgrounds in our community. I do everything for the kids, as there is no one in this world that deserves it more!
My name is Florentine Gradischnig and I am the Director of Stewardship and Recognition this year! This is my third year involved with DemonTHON and my first on Core Committee which is so exciting! I initially learned about this organization through my sorority and have been a part of it ever since. Something that absolutely made me fall in love with it was getting to hear from (and often even meet!!) different Miracle Families and how Lurie Children’s has impacted their lives. This made it a much more personal and meaningful experience for me and still motivates me to fundraise and raise awareness every year!
My name is Jaclyn Lehnen, and I am the Greek Recruitment Director for DemonTHON this year! My initial interest in DemonTHON sparked when I found out how important our organization is to my sorority here at DePaul, Phi Mu. As a Freshman going through recruitment, I heard all about the important work Lurie Children’s does to help kids and families in need, which I found extremely important, especially since my brother has suffered from a rare heart and digestive condition his entire life. Not only did this inspire me to join Phi Mu, but also to get involved with DemonTHON. This is now my third year participating in DemonTHON and I feel I have become more and more passionate about our cause each year. I am beyond excited to be a part of Core Committee for my final year of DemonTHON and can’t wait to help raise money #FTK!
Getting involved in activities at school in the midst of COVID-19 may seem nearly impossible, but being able to come together every week to be in each other's presence and make miracles happen for the kids at Lurie Children’s is always the highlight of my week at DemonTHON. In a nutshell, DemonTHON is a community of college students that have one common goal: we aspire to create a world where all kids can be kids through raising funds and awareness for kids and families in Chicago
Although last year’s Big Event went suddenly virtual, I can’t imagine my DePaul experience without the people I’ve met through DemonTHON. This organization is constantly pushing me to be the best person that I can possibly be while supporting the kids and families at Lurie Children’s.
This year, I am the Morale Director and I could not be any more excited! My experience as a Morale Captain last year made me realize how important the role of a Morale Captain really is. Morale Captains are responsible for keeping participants enthusiastic throughout the entire year and during the Big Event! A Morale Captain is someone who is personable, outgoing, reliable, creative, energetic, and able to engage with their fellow students and families from the hospital. Morale Captains are the heart and soul of DemonTHON!
Starting winter quarter, we hold weekly meetings for our Morale Captains to come together to plan the activities for the Big Event and brainstorm different ways to fundraise. These meetings allow Morale Captains to let their creativity shine, while reminding one another that all our work is solely for the kids!
Being a Morale Captain is an awesome opportunity to meet and connect with people with the same goals and aspirations to support the kids, and we are looking for more people to join our Morale Captain team! If you think you have what it takes to bring the positive and encouraging energy to DemonTHON, email me at demonthon.morale@gmail.com and I would be happy to answer any further questions that you may have!