2 I The Behrend Beacon
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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