Sponsors shape event's backbone

Through the hundreds of dancers who will flood Fetzer Gym tonight, it might be hard to notice some of the details that blend into the room’s background.

But on second look, one might catch a glimpse of walls adorned with banners bearing business names and logos, or students enjoying pizzas and fruit — just a few contributions from the sponsors that form the backbone of Dance Marathon.

Jared Resnick, owner of West End Wine Bar, has been involved with the 24-hour fund-raiser since its start and serves on the advisory board.

“My two big charity issues today are children issues and women issues,” he said. The marathon proceeds benefit the N.C. Children’s Hospital.

Resnick donated wine for benefit dinners and auction items to the marathon, and he has opened his bar to raise money before the event.

More than 40 businesses and organizations are donating food and supplies to this year’s marathon — most of which will be used to feed about 600 weary dancers.

Among those businesses are McAlister’s Deli, which is donating enough sweet tea to last for 24 hours; Bojangles’, which is providing lunch for all the dancers; and nine pizza companies that together will deliver more than 100 pizzas for dinner.

“Because we’ve had such a good relationship in the past, they are willing to donate,” said Allison Boothe, the marathon’s marketing committee chairwoman.

Buffalo Wild Wings is donating 500 wings for dinner, Carolina Dining Services will provide breakfast Saturday morning, and several stores, including The Daily Grind, will perk up the crowd with coffee.

Mike Sedlak, manager of Bagels on the Hill, said he has donated bagels to Dance Marathon every year. The business will contribute about 40 bagels this year.

“We donate to anyone from UNC that has a function,” he said. “They sponsor us, so we sponsor them.”

Boothe said the marathon’s marketing and corporate committees aim to increase community involvement in the event each year.

“It garners not only the University community, but the Chapel Hill and Triangle communities as well,” she said.

The corporate committee asks area businesses to donate money.

“This year, we branched out and contacted a lot of companies in the Triangle area,” said Cuttino Alexander, the coporate committee chairman.

The group hasn’t had much success, he admitted. “The larger the company, the more difficult it is to get sponsorship.”

Out of about 30 requests, Alexander said, five organizations agreed to donate.

“It is very tough,” he said. “It takes being very aggressive.”

The committee started requesting corporate sponsors in September.

“We’re trying to make this organization not just part of UNC, but part of the statewide community,” he said.

Last year, Dance Marathon raised $7,600 through corporate sponsorship, and Alexander said that it aims to raise at least $10,000 this time.

The Panhellenic Council is the top corporate sponsor, with a monetary donation of more than $3,500, said Julie Wald, the group’s former secretary.

Wald said the donation was made possible by dues received from each sorority member in the council and by private donations.

She said the council donated the money to recognize the more than 250 Panhellenic members involved in the marathon.

“It’s a wonderful organization that our members have been involved in,” she said.

The council’s logo will be featured on the Dance Marathon Web site, the event’s official T-shirt and a banner hanging in Fetzer Gym.

Many businesses get publicity benefits in return for their contributions, Boothe said.

“It’s a give-and-take relationship we’ve established over the years,” she said.

Alexander said businesses can list Dance Marathon as a charitable contribution when filing taxes.

All corporate sponsors also have their own banner hanging on the wall during the marathon.

But Resnick, who also works with other charities, said he expects next to nothing in return for his helping hand.

“It’s a personal choice to be involved,” he said. “Charity work is very important to us.”

Resnick said that although there are no direct perks for sponsoring the event, the community in turn helps his business flourish.

“The more you give to the community, the more the community will help you go strong.”

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.