page 8
The Fourth Wall
Bobby Casiano
The Penn State Pan-
Hellenic Dance Marathon
(THON) is a year-round
fundraising event benefitting
The Four Diamonds Fund,
Conquering Childhood
Cancer, at the Penn. State
Children’s Hospital in Hershey,
PA. The students who
not sit or sleep during the forty-
eight hour dance marathon
held every February at
University Park. This year’s
THON weekend will involve
700 students and many
supporters who come together
in the fight for a cure for
pediatric’ ‘cancer. .. This
inspirational environment
motivates students to fundraise
throughout the year.
Other Penn State students
stand by on the sidelines to
support tneir fellow THON
members on the dance floor.
The dancers lead what is called
a “line dance.” First, they
gather as a group and teach the
dance steps to the supporting
students. This is followed by
going through a specific theme
song agreed upon before the
event. This song is played every
hour and used for the line
dance.
Over the past thirty years,
raised over $30 million and
have helped thousands of
children and families fight
pediatric cancer. In 2005, Penn
State campuses raised over $4.1
million. The students at the
Commonwealth Campuses
hold fundraisers such as
canning, which includes setting
up a table in front of a local
department store. They also
sell THON bracelets and food
in order to raise money.
A MINI-THON is held to
prepare the dancers from all
campuses except University
Park. Students go through the
same process of not sitting or
standing for forty-eight hours
doing a line dance once every
hour. The Mont Alto THON
team held a MINI-THON on
the weekend of November 18-
19, 2005. Team members
include Chair Amber Krenzer,
Mini-THON Captain Lydia
Brindel, Lara Sowers, Christina
Green, Laura Beck, Beth
Herbert, advisors Linda Worley
and Julie Demoss. Mont Alto
THON dancer Beth Herbert
explains that MINI-THON is
“designed to prepare the
dancers for the THON at
University Park.” Herbert states
that they have “raised $2,500
and are working
to surpass last
year’s $7,000.”
This money is
provided by the
3twdent
Government
Association,
supporting
Clubs, and the
campus as a
whole. For the
past six years,
Mont Alto has
sponsored
Krystian Bell, a
fifteen-year-old
cancer patient.
Mont Alto
THON dancers
Brindel and
Herbert are
“thankful for the
support through
the cards of
encouragement
from the students here at Mont
Alto.” Brindel says, “twelve
hours are not enough, and I
look forward to forty-eight
hours” Brindel and Herbert are
the dancers going to University
Park accompanied by a Morale
Team which consists of the
remaining members. For more
information on supporting
THON, contact advisors
the students of THON have
Lydia Brindel
Linda Worley or Julie
Demoss.
According to the
2005 there have been an
States. Nearly six hundred
thousand people died of
cancer in 2005. 9,510 new
cases are expected to be
diagnosed in children birth-14
years of age in 2005. The
American Cancer Society also
states that for all childhood
cancers combined, “five-year
relative survival rates have
improved markedly over the
past 30 years” from less than
50% before the 1970’s, to more
than 70% in the late 1990's.
Game Room from page 4
table but all in all it’s good, it’s
something to do other than
walking to Wiestling in the
snow. The game room is a
source of entertainment and
makes me want to live here
now.”
Another resident of the
Penn Gates, Ratandeep “Andy”
Pahwa says, “I think the game
room could be put to better use,
like having free pool on the
weekends, but overall it’s
good!”
At this time, the game room
has not been open 24/7, mainly
due to increasing damages in
the residence halls. Kelly
Pannill, Resident Coordinator
for Mont Alto Hall, says, “I
absolutely agree with the time
of the game room at the Gates.
It’s our experience in the past
that some students abuse
privileges but are unwilling to
pay damages. So to ensure that
damages don’t occur, it should
be open during the hours when
RA’s are on duty so they can
monitor it.”
The Penn Gate game room’s
hours of operation are Sunday-
Thursday 8pm-12pm and
Friday to Saturday: 8pm to
lam. Penn Gate Complex
Resident Coordinator/Interim
Director of Residence Life,
Farrah Irving-Wilkins states,
“Once we get the air hockey
table, we'll start implementing
free pool night every other
weekend.” Irving-Wilkins
agrees that, “For the time being,
the hours for the game room
are fixed. They may be adjusted
in the future based on the use
of the game room and/or if
damages occur in the Penn
Gate complex area.”
For any questions or
comments concerning the game
room, contact the Resident
Coordinator of the Penn Gate
complex, Farrah Irving-Wilkins
at fail@psu.edu.