Deep Run Marathon Dance raises $216,000 for local charities

The dance has raised more than $1.5 million for local charities since it started in 2007.

March 25, 2015; 1:20 PM • by Trevor Dickerson

The Ninth Annual Deep Run Marathon Dance may have exhausted the hundreds of high school students who participated last weekend, but it provided an invigorating boost to 12 charities.

The 27-hour Deep Run High School event, organized by Deep Run teachers (and husband and wife team) Kathleen and David Kern, along with a student committee, raised $216,753 at the 2015 event, bringing its nine-year fundraising total to more than $1.5 million.

This year, proceeds from the Deep Run Marathon Dance will go to 12 nonprofits, including Boys to Men Mentoring Network of Virginia; CARITAS; ChildSavers Memorial Child Guidance Clinic; Jacob’s Chance, Inc.; Legal Information Network for Cancer; Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia; National Alliance on Mental Illness of Central Virginia; National Multiple Sclerosis Society Central and Eastern Virginia Chapter; Northstar Academy; Richmond Hope Therapy Center; The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; and The McShin Foundation.

“Although I am always proud to be the principal of Deep Run High School, few if any moments in my time here rival this event and the amount of time and effort it takes from our students, faculty, staff and community,” said Deep Run principal Lenny Pritchard.

The Deep Run Marathon Dance ranks second nationally in fundraising for such events. Participating students checked in on Friday night, March 20th and left 27 hours later, with breaks for snacks and two hours to sleep through the duration of the event.