It seems as if, when tragedy befalls a community, it takes only seconds before people come together to fight back.
The only way junior Alisa Dietz, sister of Sigma Delta Tau, knew how to fight back after the passing of fellow sister Jacqueline Hirsch was through the beautiful art of dance.
Dancers Give Back started out as an idea, a small way to raise money for the Jacquie for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia fund with which the sisters of Sigma Delta Tau are proud to be associated. Jacquie for ALL is a charitable foundation created by Jacquie's family to raise funds and support for additional research on that form of Leukemia, in hopes that one day researchers may be able to conquer the disease that took Jacquie's life.
The inspiration for Dancers Give Back then expanded into a major project involving 18 local dance studios in the Buffalo area, radio stations, well-known clothing stores, restaurants and many generous members of communities from all over New York.
The event was held on Saturday, Oct. 4 at a Buffalo school. The six-hour event included raffles, a cake walk and a bake sale. Most importantly, the event allowed the dancers involved to be touched by Jacquie in some way and to express themselves through music and movement.
Not even Ali Dietz, founder of the ground-breaking group, expected the large turn out on Saturday afternoon. After hours of calculating donation money, raffle money and the occasional check still being sent in days after the event, the total raised was over $17,000.
Jacquie for ALL coordinates many events, especially in the Buffalo area, Jacquie's hometown. This Friday, Oct. 24, several students are organizing a bake sale in order to raise money for Jacquie for ALL. The bake sale will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on the College Green or in the case of rain, in the College Union mailroom.