Dear Family and Friends of Dance Marathon, We are thrilled that your student is taking part in Dance Marathon 2011! North western University Dance Marathon (NUDM) is a tradition that has raised more than PLOOLRQ GROODUV IRU GHVHUYLQJ EHQH¿FLDULHV VLQFH LWV LQDXJXUDO UXQ LQ ,Q 18'0 UDLVHG RYHU IURP FDVK DQG LQNLQG GRQDWLRQV 7KLV \HDU PRUH WKDQ 18 VWXGHQWV DUH XQLWLQJ LQ D \HDUORQJ HIIRUW WR UDLVH IXQGV DQG DZDUHQHVV DOO FXOPLQDWLQJ LQ D KRXU PDUDWKRQ GXULQJ WKH ZHHNHQG RI 0DUFK WKWK 7KLV \HDU WKH WK DQQXDO 18'0 LV EHQH¿WLQJ WZR UHPDUNDEOH RUJDQL]DWLRQV 2XU SULPDU\ EHQH¿FLDU\ 7KH &KLOGUHQ¶V +HDUW )RXQGDWLRQ IXQGV SURPLVLQJ UHVHDUFK that advances the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital heart defects, WKH PRVW FRPPRQ ELUWK GHIHFW LQ $PHULFD 2XU VHFRQGDU\ EHQH¿FLDU\ WKH (YDQVWRQ &RPPXQLW\ )RXQGDWLRQ HQULFKHV WKH OLYHV RI (YDQVWRQ UHVLGHQWV E\ DZDUGLQJ JUDQWV to community groups that promote vital initiatives such as early childhood education, workforce training, mentorship programs for lowincome students and the reduction of WKH FRPPXQLW\¶V HQYLURQPHQWDO IRRWSULQW As you can probably imagine, NUDM is a substantial undertaking for every VWXGHQW LQYROYHG :KLOH WKH ¿QDO PRPHQWV RI WKH PDUDWKRQ LQ 0DUFK DUH LQFUHGLEO\ rewarding, the extraordinary effort needed to successfully plan, fundraise for, and par WLFLSDWH LQ 18'0 SODFHV KLJK GHPDQGV RQ VWXGHQWV <RXU HQFRXUDJHPHQW DQG VXSSRUW ZLOO PDNH D VLJQL¿FDQW LPSDFW RQ WKH H[SHULHQFH \RXU VWXGHQW KDV WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDU 7KHUH DUH PDQ\ ZD\V WR ERWK VKRZ \RXU VXSSRUW DQG VWD\ LQIRUPHG DERXW 18'0 Some suggestions are: 2UGHU PHUFKDQGLVH SXPSXS NLWV DQG DGYHUWLVHPHQWV WR HQFRXUDJH \RXU VWXGHQW E\ XVLQJ WKH HQFORVHG IRUPV RU JRLQJ RQOLQH WR QXGPRUJSDUHQWV 'RQDWH WR 18'0 RQOLQH DW QXGPRUJ RU E\ VHQGLQJ D FKHFN PDGH SD\DEOH WR ³1RUWK ZHVWHUQ 8QLYHUVLW\´ WR &DPSXV 'ULYH %R[ (YDQVWRQ ,/ $WWHQG 18'0 RQ 0DUFK WKWK $ IXOO VFKHGXOH RI HYHQWV ZLOO EH DYDLODEOH online in February families are encouraged to visit dancers and participate in several DGGLWLRQDO HYHQWV LQFOXGLQJ D .. UXQ DQG D .LGV )DLU 9LVLW RXU ZHEVLWH QXGPRUJ RIWHQ WR VWD\ XSGDWHG RQ RXU EHQH¿FLDULHV DQG 18'0 HYHQWV <RX FDQ DOVR ZDWFK D OLYH IHHG RI 18'0 :HHNHQG 5HFHLYH TXDUWHUO\ 18'0 XSGDWHV WKURXJK RXU $OXPQL DQG )ULHQGV OLVWVHUY 6LJQ XS DW QXGPRUJSDUHQWV 7KDQN \RX LQ DGYDQFH IRU \RX VXSSRUW :H WUXO\ EHOLHYH WKDW 18'0 ZLOO PDNH a difference in the lives of families affected by congenital heart defects, and your VXSSRUW ZLOO KHOS PDNH 18'0 DQ HYHQ PRUH LQFUHGLEOH H[SHULHQFH IRU \RXU VWXGHQW Please feel free to contact us throughout the year, and we look forward to seeing you at NUDM 2011! Sincerely, &DWULQD 0LNVLV DQG -XOLH 6KHU 'DQFH 0DUDWKRQ ([HFXWLYH &R&KDLUV