All of the Nittany Lions can agree that the atmosphere during THON weekend is something that is hard to put into words. This small, remote town filled with football-starved students turns into a welcoming and uplifting environment for all of those we THON for.
While it may seem like all of the events and fundraising only happens near Penn State, there are actually a bunch of ways you can get your THON on in your community, FTK.
Photo by Elise Derstine
Donate, Donate, Donate
Here in Happy Valley, we pride ourselves on putting ourselves out there in the most ridiculous of ways in order to raise some money FTK. With all of the proceeds going towards pediatric cancer research, setting up a way for friends and family to donate to such an incredible cause is a no-brainer. Even if you cannot make it to the big event on February 16, you can still share one of your favorite THON member’s Donor Drive pages to encourage your friends on Facebook to donate, or you can donate here.
Get Involved
THON may be native to the Penn State crowd, but there are hundreds of high schools and even elementary schools across the country that put on their very own Mini-THONs to help the cause. The dates of these Mini-THONs may vary, as they normally do not fall on the actual Penn State THON weekend.
Mini-THON is a part of the Four Diamonds and all of the money raised goes towards finding a cure for childhood cancer and the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. With over 90,000 students involved and over 300 participants donating already, mini-THON may be making an impact in your neighborhood.
Find a Mini-THON in your community and find a way to help anyway you can. Whether it be by donating some food for the event, coming and standing in the rafters for support or even just sharing the event page on social media. The impact of THON is constantly spreading, and every helping hand makes a difference in reaching the goal of finding a cure.
Dress the Part
It’s no secret that Penn Staters like to dress as wild and as colorful as possible on THON weekend. Grab your rainbow tutus, some funky socks and a THON T-shirt to show your support from your hometown. Every purchase made from the official THON website goes towards The Four Diamonds research.
It All Starts With You
No matter where you live or what school you go to, there is always a way to get involved with THON and feel like a Nittany Lion. While controversies about Penn State may come and go, one thing remains the same—our dedication and passion to putting a smile on the faces of children battling cancer.
If you are passionate and want to make a difference in your community, don’t be afraid to get started. Gather a group of friends or faculty from your school and start your own Mini-THON, FTK®. Even having a small fundraiser put together by your neighborhood can make a huge impact on a child’s life. Whether it be a fundraiser at a local restaurant or a hot chocolate stand outside of your school, every little bit helps.
With THON only a week away, remember to keep a positive attitude and hopeful heart as we cheer on those standing for 46 hours. Tune in online via the THON livestream to watch the magical events unfold and remember to be there for the last hour when we reveal the total raised, FTK®!
