Marshall University fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi hosted a “Turn it Off” fundraiser Monday.

Fraternity members played one song continuously until someone donated $1 to change the song or $3 to pick a new song.

Proceeds assisted the funding of the fraternity’s participation in the Thunder Dance marathon, which costs $125 per dancer.

Thunder Dance marathon is 12 hours long and benefits children battling chronic medical conditions, pediatric cancer research and the betterment of the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital at Cabell Huntington Hospital.

Senior public health major Reid Palmer and fellow Alpha Sigma Phi members were on the Memorial Student Center plaza playing music.

“In the first 30 minutes we had like five songs changes and the song that played the longest was ‘Call Me Maybe,’” Palmer said.

Palmer said participating in the Thunder Dance marathon was well worth the effort.  “We did it for last year for 24 hours, it was one of the greatest events we’ve ever attended because we literally saw where our money went and who it affects,” Palmer said.

Alpha Sigma Phi fundraising chair Naquan Gardner said the 12 hours of dancing is validated  when participants meet the kids of Hoops Family Children’s Hospital.

“It benefits the kids and there’s no better reward than being able to go there and see that despite the pain their going through that they have something to look forward to with the things we raise the money for,” Gardner said

The Thunder Dance marathon is April 1 at the Cam Henderson Center.

Baily Turner can be contacted at [email protected].