Hey ladies! So as future
Penn Staters, by now you have probably heard about THON. And if not I’m here to
tell you all about it! THON, or Penn State Dance Marathon is the largest
student run philanthropy in the world which raises money to support the fight
against pediatric cancer. Thousands of students spend months raising money through
various events and fundraisers and it finally culminates in a 46 hour no
sitting, no sleeping dance marathon that takes place every February. Last year
THON raised over $13.34 million dollars and it has raised over $110 million
dollars since it began in 1973. But that’s not even the best part! Why should
you get involved? How do you get involved? Keep reading to find out!
Why should you get involved?
The Families: Not only does THON raise millions of dollars to help these
children get the treatment and help they need, it gives us students the
opportunity to meet some of the most amazing and strongest families you will
encounter in your entire life. The sole beneficiary of THON is the Four
Diamonds Fund which is a charity based out of Penn State’s Hershey Medical
Center. Its mission is to cover all the expenses these families could encounter
while their child is undergoing treatment. And when I say all, I really do mean
it. Chemo, surgery, clinical trials, gas money, food money, hotels, absolutely
anything these families need, the fund will provide. And the families never
even see a bill. Additionally, each one of these families is paired with a Penn
State organization who serves as a support system to help the family get
through one of the most difficult times in their life. This is also a great
opportunity for us as students because we get to become really close with these
families and are inspired by their stories and their strength. Meeting and
bonding with these families is incredibly moving and will change your whole
outlook on life.
The Students: The friends you will make and the people you will meet from
being a part of THON is amazing. Every student involved is so incredibly
passionate, and you will become the exact same way. The cause really brings
people together and you will make life-long friends after knowing each other
for just a few weeks. Some of my best friends are people I have meet through my
involvement in THON, and I know we will still be talking and reminiscing about
the experiences THON has given us 50 years from now.
The Community: One of my favorite things about Penn State is the sense of
community you feel at the school. This community only gets stronger through
involvement in THON. When you meet someone who is also a part of THON, it’s an
immediate connection. It is something that will bond you with people instantly
and something you could talk about for hours. It is an amazing feeling to stand
in the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) during THON weekend with 15,000 other students
all cheering and dancing for a cause they are as passionate about as you are.
There isn’t another experience quite like it in the world.
How do you get
involved?
Student Organizations: Almost every student organization on campus is involved with
THON in some way. SWE (Society of Women Engineers), club sports,
fraternities/sororities, campus choirs, all of these will have a THON
organization. What this means is that there is the main club and then there
will be a sub-committee that’s involved in THON. These groups will be paired
with a family and raise money for THON through fundraisers, canning weekends
and various other activities. (Side note: a canning weekend is when you go with
your organization to someone’s home town and stand on street corners and in
front of businesses asking for money.) Additionally, there are a ton of clubs
whose sole purpose is THON. Either way, there are a variety of different
options. During the first week of school there will be an activity fair where
you can learn about all these different clubs and organizations and find out
which are best for you!
Committees: The difference between an organization and a committee is
that an organization exists to raise money for THON and support a specific
family or families where the committees work to actually make THON happen. Some
examples of committees are OPPerations, Finance, Entertainment, and Morale;
each has a specific role in the planning, preparation, and execution of every
one of THON’s events throughout the year but most importantly THON weekend. To
get onto one of these committees you will need to fill out an application
because positions can be a bit competitive. This is because being a member of a
committee is a unique and extremely rewarding experience. Your committee will
become like a family and you will become close with everyone, faster than you
could even imagine. It is awesome to be able to know you worked to make such a
huge and amazing event that does inspiring things for so many people, happen.
The applications usually come out in mid to late September so definitely be on
the lookout for that!
Be a Supporter: Even if you decide not to get involved in THON through an
organization or committee during your first year there are still a ton of
events you can go to and things you can do to support the cause! THON has a
bunch of special events throughout the year such as a 5K race, sporting events,
restaurant fundraisers downtown, and so much more! So come out, help the kids,
and have some fun, especially during THON weekend! The doors are open to
anyone, regardless of whether or not you’ve been involved throughout the year
and it is an unbelievable experience. Spend just one hour dancing around in the
BJC with 15,000 of your best friends and you’ll be begging to sign up for next
year!
If you haven’t noticed by now, THON is something that is near and dear to
my heart and a cause that I have an amazing passion for. Four years ago I was
probably in a similar position that you are in. I had heard about THON and it
sounded pretty cool but I wasn’t completely sure how it worked or what it was
all about. But when I came to Penn State I decided to jump right in and get
involved, and I’m so happy that I did. Some of the most amazing experiences
I’ve had in college have come through THON. I’ve meet so many incredibly people
who have inspired me in ways I never would have believed. THON has become a
major part of my life and I couldn’t imagine what my college experience would
have been without it. I encourage you to let it have the same effect on you!
Melissa Consiglio is a senior in Architectural Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!
I found my passion through music. I’ve been singing since I was young
and I knew this was something I wanted to continue throughout college. The
first week of my freshman year I auditioned for the campus choirs and became a
member of the Oriana Singers. I’ve be been an active member of Oriana since my
first semester at Penn State and it has been one of the best parts of my last
four years at school. Stepping away from studying and projects twice a week to
do something I love is incredibly rewarding and prevents me from getting overly
stressed with my workload. It has also allowed me to meet some of my best
friends and has led to many of my greats memories that I will look back on for
years to come.
