MANSFIELD, Conn. — UCONN was buzzing Saturday.
Both of the university’s basketball teams were competing in the NCAA basketball tournaments over the weekend, while students back home in Storrs raised money for their 22nd Annual HuskyTHON.
“It’s the first day of our first ever HuskyTHON weekend,” said college senior and HuskyThon 2021 Vice President of Communications Mitchell Lisowski. “We fundraise year-round for Connecticut Children’s hospital in Hartford. Every year we celebrate with an 18-hour dance marathon.”
Usually it’s an indoor fundraiser. This year because of the pandemic “HuskyTHON” had a different approach, with the same cause in mind.
“It makes me feel like I’m part of something greater than myself,” said college junior Steven Kao from Madison, CT.
College Senior Danielle Capuano of Somers, CT said she was the only freshman on the Morale dance team her freshman year.
“I got right into it my freshman year and I haven’t turned back since,” she said.
Students raise money throughout the year.
“The money we raise year-round goes to the Greatest Need Fund at Connecticut’s Children’s, which basically goes to supplying whatever they need most at that time,” Lisowski said. “A few years ago, the money we raised funded an entire new wing at Connecticut’s Children’s.”
He said this year some will go towards COVID-19 needs for the hospital.
Capuano raised over $1,100 on her own with another fundraiser called, “HuskyTHON's Annual Day Of Strength!”. She donated the tips she made one night at Lulu’s Pizzeria, where she works in Enfield, and her supervisors matched the amount. She said knew of the importance of the hospital prior to attending UCONN.
“In high school, one of my friends actually received a heart transplant and he was in the Intensive Care Unit at Connecticut Children’s,” Capuano said. “Just hearing about how his family spoke and the care they received and how they couldn’t have gone through it without the staff and the facility at Connecticut’s Children, really impacted me.”
Children and families have visited the event in past years.
“They would come onto the stage and speak their stories on how Connecticut Children’s impacted them, how Connecticut Children’s saved their lives due to the treatment and the resources provided by the facility,” Kao said.
About 3,000 people were registered for the live-stream portion of HuskyTHON's Saturday. People can create their own page for donations. There’s also in-person activities with students fundraising inside the Student Union and dancing outside.
UCONN students were passionate about fund-raising, but also enthusiastic about the school’s basketball teams.
“Go husky’s baby!,” Kao said. “Whooo! Bouknight, that’s my guy!”
Capuano said she was also a loyal supporter of both the men and women’s basketball teams.
“I am a big fan of UCONN basketball that’s part of the reason why I decided to come to UCONN,” she said. “It’s just the hype that surrounds them every year.”
The live-stream and information about HuskyTHON can be found at www.huskython.org.