2 I The Behrend Beacon Weekly Weather Monday: Few showers. High 62/Low 49. Chance of Precipitation 3() < 4. Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High 63/Low 45. Chance of precipitation 20 7(. Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High 64/Low 50. Chance of precipitation 20 c k. Thursday: Showers. High 65/Low 55. Chance of pre cipitation 40 °h. Source: ueaiher.e»nn The Behrend Beacon is constantly searching for innovative writers. If you are interested, contact Rachel Reeves at rcrsos7 @ psu.edu. Mark Halliday read portions of his poetry in Smith Chapel at 6 p.m. on Thursday night. It was part of Behrend's speaker series program and was received well by those in attendance. THON fundraising kicks off at Behrend Mike O. Wehrer staff writer mrwso94@psu.edu This week marks the opening of this year's Penn State's University fund rais ing drive known as THON. The first offi cial day for Behrend to raise money for THON was Wednesday. October 1. Students can raise money until February 20th. Last year. Penn State as a whole raised well over $6.6 million for juvenile cancer research and care, making it the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. The Behrend campus raised $18,015, set ting a new personal record. "This year." Molly Thomas, co-chair of Behrend's THON. said "we hope to raise at least $30,000" To achieve this ambitious goal, THON has many events planned for the student at Behrend. On Friday, October 2, THON will kick off with a walk around campus Friday. The walk will begin at the Lion Shrine at 3:45 p.m. and end in the Junker Center. Participants will be treated to free food at the end of the walk. There will be prizes for those who raised the most money and all donations are welcome. The following Friday. October 10, THON is hosting a bowling night at Eastland Lanes on McClelland Avenue. Cost per student is $B, a portion of which w ill be donated to THON. Bowling opens at 7 p.m. Following the Bowling event is THON's first canning drive. Behrend's THON organization will have representa tives around Erie taking canned dona tions. "We will be on Peach Street and in front of Giant Eagle on Buffalo Road and K Mart on Grandview Boulevard." Thomas said. The event that truly defines THON is the 24-hour dance marathon. This year it will be held in Erie hall on November 1 and run into November 2. There are meet ings on Mondays in Reed 113 at 7 p.m. for anyone who is interested in participat ing in an event or just getting more infor mation. Organizations are also encouraged to participate. Any group interested in rais ing money together can contact either Thomas or her co-chair Linh Nguyen at mhtSO 12 fc'psu.edu lmns()24<s psu.edu respectively. Each Commonwealth THON, includ ing Behrend. organization gives its raised money to the THON group at the University Park campus. THON's mission is to "Conquer Cancer' Pediatric "Outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers, and staff of The Four Diamonds Fund." According to their website. The first year. THON donated over NEWS $2OOO to the Butler County Association of Retarded Citizens. In 1978, THON donated its proceeds to a recently-founded group called The Four Diamonds Fund. Just before the 1979 dance, the partner ship between THON and The Four Diamonds Fund was made permanent. The Fund, based in Hershey, PA, is a charity whose mission is to assist families suffering from the trauma of childhood cancer. They specifically help with offsetting “the cost of treatment that insurance does not cover, as well as expenses that may disrupt the welfare of the child, such as car repairs, rent, or household utilities,” their website reads. The fund also sup ports the medical team that cares for the children and funds pediatric cancer research through start-up grants and the Four Diamonds Pediatric Cancer Research Institute.” According to the fund website “The Fund has helped over 2,000 families since 1972. Approximately 90 new fami lies receive support each year.” and over 90% of the money raised by THON goes directly to families in need. Total fund raising has gone up by stag gering amounts every year, passing mile stone after milestone. THON broke the six-figure mark with $131,000 in 1983. Just nine years later, THON broke $1 million to thunderous applause, “THON is changing the lives of stu dents and children, reinforcing the impor tance of caring for one another, and inspiring the determination needed to beat cance,” continues the website. “THON is a year-long event. THON is soliciting. THON is canning. THON is people. THON is dancing. THON is pain. THON is the children. Most of all, though, THON is seeing real heroes.” Greg Tallman, overall Chairperson for 2008 said on THON's website. The history of THON, according to its website, is a colorful one. It was founded by the Interfratemity Council as a dance marathon competition in 1973. It used money raised as prizes for dancers and to give to a charity of the year. Greek societies have played an impor tant role in THON since they first found ed it, and to this day, fraternities and sororities have been major sources of independent fund raisers and major con tributors to the dance every year, regular ly raising the most money. Since its inception in 1973, THON has donated over $46 million, and plans to add to that amount again this year. Behrend's THON program is much younger, having been paired up with its first Four Diamonds Family in November 2007. It is a growing force for Charity in the commonwealth. provide What is THON? Important Facts - No family has ever been turned down by The Four Diamonds Fund. - No dancer ever stands alone; organizations raise money together, morale together, and support the families togeth er. - THON™ is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, through it more than $46 million has been raised for kids with cancer. - The Four Diamonds Fund provides money for compre hensive care of children with cancer, support for their fam ilies, and for research of pediatric cancer. - The Four Diamonds Fund allots over 92% of the pro ceeds from the Dance Marathon and other fundraising efforts straight to patients and their families. - This year there will be more than 300 organizations, 700 dancers, and 3,000 organizers participating in a two day, no-sitting, no-sleeping Dance Marathon. - More than 2,000 families have been helped by The Four Diamonds Fund. - THON has emerged as one of the greatest unifying fac tors among Penn State students, teaching that it is okay to reach a hand out and help another person. Milestones 1973: The very first Penn State Dance Marathon is held in the HUB, raising more than s2,ooofor charity. 1977: THON makes its first donation to The Four Diamonds Fund. This partnership would become perma nent the following year. 1979: THON moves to the White Building, where it contin- ues to grow for years. 1983: The six-figure mark is passed with a fundraising total of $131,000. 1992: THON raises more than $1 million for the first time ever. 1999: THON moves again, this time to Rec Hall. 1999: THON pledges $5 million over 5 years to establish a research center at the Hershey Medical Center. This pledge would be fulfilled two years early. 2002: The first THON 5K takes place, an event which has now grown to include nearly 1,700 runners. 2004: THON pledges $lO million over six years to create a new “Pediatric Cancer Pavilion ” at the Penn State Children’s Hospital, promising to revolutionize family-cen tered care for the kids of The Four Diamonds Fund. 2005: THON breaks the $4 million dollar mark, raising $4,122,483.65 for The Four Diamonds Fund. 2007: Back at it again... THON celebrated its 35th anniversary in the Bryce Jordan Center - it's new home! THON 2007 broke the $5 million mark, raising $5,240,385.17f0r the kids. Source: thon.org Friday, October 3, 2008
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