Miracle club’s Aggiethon returns
On March 22, from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Nelson Field House, Utah State University’s Miracle Club will host its annual Aggiethon.
The Miracle Club is a student-led organization here at USU under Campus Rec, and is a branch of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon. It is the only branch within the state of Utah. This national organization has the main goal of fundraising for children’s hospitals across the nation, and the one in Logan fundraises specifically for the Primary Children’s Hospital.
The Primary Children’s Hospital is the main pediatric children’s hospital in the state of Utah. It is also the leading specialist in children’s healthcare in Utah.
Aggiethon in turn, is “the end finale,” in the words of Cassandra Ivie, the executive director of USU’s Miracle Club. “Aggiethon is a celebration, intended to celebrate the united efforts of Aggies all across campus in helping us fundraise.” There, last minute fundraising will be done, and following that, the actual celebration part.
The celebration is, in essence, a massive block party. Among the amenities will be food, games and dancing.
Furthermore, plans are being made to have several past Primary Children’s Hospital patients attend as well.
“We want it to be a big party, and for everyone to be united in this great cause,” said Suzy Deaver, the external director for the Miracle Club.
Aggiethon started in 2018, however following the coronavirus, there was a drop. Following the 2022 iteration, the national organization decided to cancel the 2023 iteration and do a relaunch, which will be this year’s version.
“The care that Primary Children’s offers, especially quality of life care, is not possible without financial contributions,” Ivie said.
Aggiethon helps pay for various resources to help out pediatric care, as well as items that can let kids undergoing treatment there be a kid, such as children’s books or coloring books.
Nearly 40% of donations go to patient services for both patients and their families, and another 37% helps provide charitable aid for patients. 15% goes to help fund education for patients. The other 8% goes to various other expenses, such as life-saving equipment, research into children care, and to support innovative programs and projects.
Ivie said the event is designed to be social.
“Utah State is an events and service oriented campus,” Ivie said. “It really capitalizes on that. It is an opportunity to connect with a lot of other people.”
Another reason to attend, Ivie said, is because “it’s a whole lot of fun.”
The event is open to anyone.
“This is an event for every single student on campus,” Ivie said. “We would love to have them come on March 22 and to celebrate what we can do together.”
For Deaver, there is more to Aggiethon than just a fun party.
“Our main thing is that every child deserves to live long enough to become an Aggie.”
Deaver also wishes for the event to be a distinctly USU event. “It’s not a national organization thing that is on campus, it’s a Utah State thing that we can all do together to unite in a better cause. That every kid can be an Aggie,” Deaver said.