Moralers greet dancers


Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1998	Moralers greet dancers By PATRICIA TISAK Collegian Staff Writer The ballroom was filled with dancers . . . and moralers. The 1998 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon Committee held the Dancer-Morale Social last night in the HUB Ballroom. The social was an event in which dancers met their moralers for the first time. Moralers are the students who will support and encourage Thon dancers from Feb. 20 to 22, said Jamie Cimino, a morale committee captain.
Anna Prinzi (junior-political science) works her way through a hula hoop aided by Cara Petrillo (senior-business logistics). The activity was part of the Dancer-Morale Social last night in the HUB Ballroom. (Collegian Photo/Elizabeth Anne Nolan - click for full size image)	"The dancers are going to be facing a challenging and fun experience during Thon weekend," Cimino said. "The moralers are the special people who help make their experience as exciting and fun as possible." The social included interactive activities like a hula hoop game to break the ice between the dancer and their moraler, Cimino said. Mike Eck, a moraler, said he and his fellow committee members will be present during Thon to provide a wide range of services to the dancers. "You're there to give them massages," said Eck (senior-accounting). "You're there to keep them mentally in a good mood and to bring them something to eat or anything else they need." Moralers are important because they make sure the dancers are having a good time, moraler Missy Gomez said. "Somebody needs to be awake and coherent to keep the dancers going," said Gomez (junior-communication disorders).
Thon morale captains lead the audience in performing last year's line dance. The Dancer-Morale Social was held last night in the HUB Ballroom. (Collegian Photo/Elizabeth Anne Nolan - click for full size image)	Kristi Shollenberger, a dancer, is participating because she said she believes she'll have a good time. "It's such a great opportunity to save young children's lives," Shollenberger (senior-nursing) said. "A lot of my friends are dancing and there's good music so it should be a great time." Although dancers face physical obstacles like swollen feet and fallen arches, David Kuhn, a dancer, said the hardest part will be mental exhaustion. "We can overcome any obstacle for 48 hours for those kids, though," said Kuhn (senior-life sciences). The hours of fatigue are nothing compared to what children with cancer have to go through, said dancer Kristin Medovitch. "The children suffer all their lives so we can suffer for 48 hours to help them," said Medovitch (senior-human development and family studies).