With themed dance blocks, bizarre costumes, and wild dancers, Dance Marathon is full of surprises. But nothing’s more surprising than seeing a beer bong being raised in the air during a benefit for pediatric cancer.

“It’s a play on the whole frat thing,” said Harrison Shih, Weinberg sophomore and a philanthropy chair of Zeta Beta Tau.

Anyone around the participants can here the loudly chanted countdown, the moment of silent anticipation, and the victorious thrust of the funnel and tubing into the air amid a flurry of lights and dancers. The “hydration bong,” as members of ZBT call it, is indeed a beer bong; but the drink of choice at this Friday night party happens to be Gatorade Rain.

“Every year our philanthropy chairs come and make sure our guys are hydrated,” said Phillip Reich, a Weinberg junior and former ZBT philanthropy chair.

ZBT and partner sorority Delta Gamma combine their efforts each year in fundraising. According to Shih, ZBT has over 50 members participating this year. However, members of ZBT and DG that are not dancing spend all day Saturday canning to raise extra funds to donate. Since they aren’t spend the thirty hours dancing, they also try to keep other dancers hydrated and healthy, returning to DM as often as possible. ZBT provides their dancers with the bongs, other bottled drinks, and “Nina’s Cookies,” a staple of the ZBT diet freshly baked from their in-house chef.

In exchange, ZBT and DG are consistently able to raise the most funds of any student group. Last year’s total donation reached the $80,000 mark.

Drink up!