46JJUU& UH? -s W The Daily Collegian Published independently by students at Penn State Students ready to take over BJC By Katrina Wehr COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Jonathan Shuff, one of the 708 dancers who will be standing for 46 hours in the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) at the Interfratemity Council/Pahellenic Dance Marathon, said he is just starting to realize the gravity of what he’s signed up for. “My family came up and dropped off supplies like socks and shirts, and that’s when it really hit me,” Shuff (senior-indus trial engineering) said. “But I’m really excited.” Love found at Med center This is the last in a five-part series spotlighting the peo ple and places that make THON what it is. By Jourdan Cole COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Love belongs 99.9 miles away from the Bryce Jordan Center, on the seventh floor of the Hershey-Medical Center. In each room, there are par ents watching over their chil dren, staff members who are willing to bring grilled cheese sandwiches in the middle of the night and doctors researching pediatric cancer thanks to donations from the Interfra ternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon to the Flour Diamonds Fluid. Far from University Park, the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center most ly serves families from central Pennsylvania. Beyond the hos pital’s main entrance is a place THON families are familiar with: the Rotunda. In the mid dle of the room stands a Nittany Lion shrine, with a compass directing visitors built into the tile below it. Taking the rotunda elevator up seven floors, and you’ll find a place that gives THON its mission the Penn State See HERSHEY, Page 2. BY THE NUMBERS ON 7 WEST 1 music therapist 2 full-time social workers nurse specialists 9 pediatric oncologists 100 new cases of pediatric cancer a year Victim of robbery identified as student By Laura Nichols COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Authorities have confirmed that the man who was carjacked, robbed and assaulted last week is a Penn State student, as police continue to collect details of two recent armed robberies. At about 9 p.m. Friday on Park Crest Lane off Martin Street, two men carjacked a Penn State stu dent and drove him to Boalsburg, forcing him to take cash out of an ATM before repeatedly hitting him over the head with a hand gun, police said. And for other students preparing for this weekend, the days leading up to the dance marathon have been filled with well-wish ing, resting and bonding. Emily Cassidy, Atlas's family relations co-chairwoman, said Atlas THON mem bers got together every night to prepare for THON 2010. “We’re always doing something for THON from making booklets for dancers or having a potluck dinner,” Cassidy (sen ior-English education) said. “We're just hanging out and spending more time together and doing THON stuff." Rob Sakovich (senior-journalism) of Springfield THON laughs as he gets his head shaved on Thursday night in Atherton Hall. Some members of the organization decided to shave their heads as a show of solidarity for THON children who lose their hair from cancer treatment. Springfield THON shaves TlK’ By Sarah Peters COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Two chairs sat on the plastic sheet covering the tile floor of the Atherton Hall game room Wednesday night in preparation for Springfield THON’s annual THON head shav ing festivity. Before the head shaving began, Springfield members chattered excitedly as the club’s officers doled out the group’s Interfraternity Council/Panhel'enic Dance Marathon attire, t shirts and sweatshirts adorned with hands in the shape of a heart on the back. But it didn’t take long for the head shaving to get underway. lan Price (senior-biochem istry and molecular biology) was the first to go, patiently sitting in one chair with a black garbage bag draped over him, as another member of Springfield THON took an electric shaver to his hair. Price said he used to shave his hair for swimming when he was younger, but this time it would be fun and for a reason. “It’s kind of a tradition,” Price said. “It’s a show of solidarity with the kids who lose their hair because of the treatment, because they don’t have a choice.” A short time later Springfield THON’s The Ferguson Township Police Department still hasn’t deter mined if the incident is connected to the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver that occurred last Thursday outside of The Pointe apartment complex, 501 Vairo Blvd. While both incidents includ ed two men armed with a hand gun, the descriptions of the assailants are different. Ferguson Township Police Det. Josh Martin said the only descrip tions authorities have are from the two men who were assaulted and robbed. No identifying information While participants are resting up for the 46-hour event, THON Overall Chairwoman Caitlin Zankowski (senior-industrial engi neering) said THON preparations are going smoothly. And that is thanks to a lot of See BJC. Page 2. To view a video of the Springfield THON students getting their heads shaved lap 'For the Kids’: psucollegian.com Communications Chairman Rob Sakovich took a seat beside Price, looking slightly uneasy. Sakovich (senior-journalism) said he said he’d partake in the headshaving tradition a few months earlier, then tried to back down, but his fellow Springfielders wouldn’t allow it. Sakovich twitched at the feeling of the hair from his head falling down the back of his t shirt, and Springfield THON members cheered, encouraging him to take off his shirt. A few minutes later, he obliged and the hair continued to fall but not for long. The sounding of the fire alarm interrupted the head shaving celebration. About 30 members of Springfield THON onlookers had to evacuate, along with Price and Sakovich, who was left shirtless with one patch of hair on the back of his head, awaiting to be transformed into the four diamonds. After everyone re-entered the building a short time later, the shaving continued, as the honorary barbers continued carving the four diamonds into the remaining patch of Timeline 10 p.m. Feb 11: A pizza deliv eryman is robbed at gunpoint outside The Pointe, 501 Vairo Blvd. 9 p.m. Feb 12: Two men car jack a man near campus, driv ing him to an ATM in Boalsburg and beating him over the head with a gun. Thursday: Police confirm the victim in the second robbery was a Penn State student. could be released about the stu dent because the investigation is ongoing, but police said the man was not treated for injuries. Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims wrote in an See ROBBERY, Page 2. POAIES VIDEOS ARIKU'S GALLERIES i TWEETS ANOW AT PSUCOUEGiAN.COM Feral cat advocates call for safe removal By Casey McDermott COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Penn State officials say a pack of feral cats roaming the area poses a risk because they can be “aggres sive and adverse to humans.” But State College resident Shirley Fonda said she disagrees for her, the administration’s decision to oversee the relocation of the cats is “ridiculous.” In fact, she said wild cats are often afraid of humans, and she believes she can turn any feral feline into “a loving pet that can find a home.” psucollegian.com THON information Times: The public will be allowed to enter the BJC at 4 p.m. on Friday and dancers will stand at 6 p.m. The final total will be revealed at p.m. on Sunday Transportation: The Blue Loop will run around the clock from 4:45 a.m. Friday through 12:30 a.m. Monday. The White Loop will begin at 7:30 a.m. Friday and run through 12:30 a.m. Monday. More information is available on CATA's Web site. Chris Donadio/Collegian lan Price (senior-biochemistry and molecular biology) poses for a photo during his haircut. Sakovich’s hair and lathered shaving cream on Price’s head to finish off the job with a hand razor. Sakovich said that he thought the kids of Springfield THON’s Four Diamonds F\ind See SPRINGFIELD. Page 2. Over the past 11 years, the 73- year-old State College resident said she has taken in 970 aban doned cats. She spent the 25 years before that as a wildlife rehabilitator for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, giving her a solid judgment of what threat, if any, is posed by the colony of cats near Penn State, she said. Both Fonda and university per sonnel agree that feral cats are not a new problem at Penn State, but the sides differ on how to best control the animals. University spokeswoman Jill See FERAL CATS. Page 2. Chns Donadio 'Coiiegian
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