WKU News

Since it began in 2015, one of WKU’s largest student-led fundraisers has raised more than $300,000 for Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville.

In this week’s View from the Hill, WKU’s Amy Bingham explains how Dance Big Red continues to be successful in spite of shifting to a virtual format.

This is where hundreds of WKU students normally participate in Dance Big Red. The pandemic means Preston will be empty but the show will definitely go on.

The show has already gone on!

2020’s Dance Big Red back in March pivoted to a virtual format just over a week after WKU closed down.

“It was definitely a whirlwind but we got it figured out. Got the tech side of it figured out and everybody was all ready to put all hands on deck.”

Co-Chairs Haley Cooper and Briley Barks are already gearing up for the next virtual Dance Big Red in 2021.

“It’s a four-hour virtual event now because it’s harder to make everybody real enthusiastic and staying on their feet through a camera.”

Briley says standing on their feet, for what was normally 12 hours, is a way for WKU students to pay homage to the patients at Norton’s.

“It’s honoring kids at Norton’s who can’t be on their feet for 12 hours and also the doctors who perform 12-hour or more surgeries on these kids.”

Both Haley and Briley, who even helped coordinate Dance Little Red when they were at Greenwood High School, say it’s so rewarding to give back to the children.

“I just want them to be able to not be in the hospital on their birthday, I want them to be able to celebrate like a normal child because they are normal children, they just had something very unfortunate happen.”

These senior co-chairs are hoping to reach their $40,000 goal in 2021 and say it’s an effort they will continue supporting long after they graduate.

“It’s enhanced my WKU experience because we just notice how much of a community everybody is and it made me love WKU even more.”

Dance Big Red is scheduled for February 26, 2021, from 6 to 10 p.m. on Zoom. It’s $10 to participate. For more information, visit www.dancebigred.com.