With THON just around the corner, a hundred organizations around campus are finally setting down their cans, reeling in their THONvelopes and getting ready for a weekend to remember. Axis is one of the hundreds of groups that has kicked it into high gear for THON 2018. This week, VALLEY sat down with Megan Mantler, a freshman member of Axis. She joined the organization at the beginning of this past fall semester after having been introduced to the group by a family friend. Megan came to Penn State knowing she wanted to be very involved with THON, and after learning more, she felt that Axis would be the perfect way to do that. Here’s what she had to say about her organization as a whole as well as her personal experience leading up to THON this year.
VALLEY: What kind of involvement does Axis have with THON, and what specific activities do you guys do?
Megan Mantlet: We do a bunch of different fundraisers each year, many that are traditional for Axis. We do canning and canvassing, as well as hold events like pasta dinners, taco dinners and grilled cheese nights. A lot of members send donation bins and THONvelopes home, too. On breaks, individuals in the group often come up with their own ideas to raise money, such as bake sales or selling hand-made ribbons. Beyond the fundraising, we do all we can to support our THON family. I haven’t had the chance to meet them in person yet, but our whole organization is super close with them. Our president is best friends with the mom and they go shopping together all the time!
V: What is Axis’ mission as a whole involving THON?
MM: A lot of organizations other than Axis raise money for THON. It’s a normal thing for clubs to do here. But at Axis, it’s important to us to provide both financial support and emotional support for our THON family. Raising money feels great, but it feels even better to know you’re making a difference in their daily lives and putting a smile on their faces.
V: How does doing these things for THON make you feel?
MM: I really like it. Just to know I’m helping to make a difference, even though small, makes me feel great. I got the opportunity to support a really great cause in my community and to make really great friends while I was doing it. Being in Axis helped me explore my THON involvement this year, but I feel like I’ve just grazed the surface! I plan to do more with Axis and to join a committee in the coming years because I’ve had such a wonderful experience with it this year.
Are you in an organization like Axis? We’d love to hear about your support for THON! Tweet us your stories at @VALLEYmag on Twitter.
