Prior to assuming co-chair responsibilities of the Penn State New Kensington THON committee, sophomore Jadyn Perry, right, was a part of the campus support team that travelled to University Park for THON 2014.
Upcoming activities:
“Paint for a Cure”
6-9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, Creative Canvas, Natrona Heights
Dodgeball and Pool tournaments, Restaurant Night
TBA
By Jenna Swank
UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – With THON weekend only a month away, the Penn State New Kensington team is still fundraising to meet its campus goal. The campus committee will travel to the Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State University Park campus to take part in THON weekend 2015 from Friday to Sunday, February 20-22.
Formally known as the Penn State Interfraternity Council/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, THON is 46-hour, no sitting, no sleeping marathon that raises money for the Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital and the fight against pediatric cancer.
Comprising 35 active members, the campus team is led by co-chairs Lea Long and Jadyn Perry. Long, a sophomore business major from Apollo, connected with the group when a fellow student told her it was a “must join” organization at Penn State. Perry, a sophomore education major from Lower Burrell, has been a part of THON since her freshman year because she knew it supported a good cause.
Before coming to the New Kensington campus, Perry already had knowledge of what THON was about. She was a student at Burrell High School when the campus held the first “Bucs Dance for a Cure” mini-dance marathon. For the past two years, the campus has teamed with Burrell to expand fundraising efforts. The mini-THON in November raised $3,442, and was one of the many fundraising events during the fall semester.
Lower Burrell native Zack Wolford, a sophomore accounting major, served as a team captain, organizing a spaghetti dinner fundraiser in early November. All the items for the dinner were donated by families or stores to help the event to be successful. The rest of the members of the organization worked to cook the spaghetti and serve it to guests. The dinner raised $1,172.
“The captains organize events, and the THON members help to run them and make them a success,” said Wolford.
Recently, the second Basket Bingo Bash was held at a local church. More than 65 people participated for the chance to win one of the 27 donated baskets. In addition to the themed baskets, bingo players could purchase tickets for a separate raffle for a pair of Steelers tickets. The bingo raised $1,847.
One of the biggest sources of donations for THON comes from three canning weekends. The canning days are designated by the THON committee at University Park and run University-wide. The three canning weekends brought in more than $10,000.
Alex Pedder, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, had great success on canning weekends. Among campus students, Pedder has the highest individual fundraising total, $2,411, helping him to qualify to be a dancer at the main THON event. For him, becoming a dancer is a part of the Penn State experience.
“I love challenging myself while making unforgettable memories at the same time,” said Pedder, a peer tutor in the Academic Learning and Student Success Center.
The New Kensington campus has been allotted two dancers for THON weekend. All students meeting predetermined criteria will go through an interview process to determine the campus dancers.
Each student has his/her own reasons for wanting to be involved in THON, but there is one reason that rings through the entire University: for the kids. According to Perry, the most rewarding part is “seeing all the kids’ faces on THON weekend celebrating their lives.” For Long, the reward is knowing that “all my hard work is going into something great and being able to help the kids and the cause.” Pedder enjoys the opportunity to contribute to the Four Diamonds and the chance to help families forget, for a short while, everything negative in their lives and see everyone “enjoy life for what it truly is worth.”
Fundraising activities will continue through February as campus students will be hosting various events, including a night of painting, dodgeball and pool tournaments, and a restaurant night.
“Our THON team has great dedication and drive to be successful,” said Lauren Blum, assistant to the director of student affairs at the campus. “They work hard and are really thriving as a team. I can’t wait to see what they can do THON weekend.”
The “Paint for a Cure” event is set from 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, February 12, at Creative Canvas in Natrona Heights. Under the tutelage of local artists, participants create their own masterpieces. No experience is needed. The $40 fee includes food, drinks, instructions and art supplies. The dates and times for the other THON events have yet to be determined. To register, contact Blum at 724-334-6063 or ldb14@psu.edu.
THON is believed to be the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. The Four Diamonds Fund benefits pediatric cancer patients, families and researchers who are working to find better treatments and, ultimately, cures for forms of cancer that afflict children.
For more information about THON or to make a donation, visit www.thon.org
For information about campus events, contact Blum at ldb14@psu.edu
(Jenna Swank served as an intern in the Alumni and Public Relations office for the fall 2014 semester.
She is now a Penn State alumna and a member of the Penn State Alumni Association after earning a bachelor’s degree in communications in December.)