[Live Blog] Penn State THON 2014: WE DID IT

Welcome to the central hub of Onward State’s THON 2014 coverage. Follow along here for everything going on at the Bryce Jordan Center this weekend at the 42nd annual Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

Be sure to follow @THONwardState, @OnwardState, and check out our Facebook page for more of our coverage this weekend.

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Sunday, February 23

4:14 p.m. This year’s total smashes last year’s total of $12,374,034.46! Congratulations to everyone involved! WE ARE PENN STATE!!!!!!!

4:12 p.m. Total Amount Raised: $13,343,517.33!!!! A NEW RECORD!!!

4:11 p.m. Special Interest Organizations: 1) Atlas 2) Ohana 3) Springfield 4) Pillar 5) Apollo

4:09 p.m. Greek Organizations: 1) Alpha Tau Omega & Zeta Tau Alpha 2) Alpha Sigma Alpha & Lambda Chi 3) Alpha Omicron Pi & Sigma Chi 4) Gamma Phi Beta & Acacia 5) Sigma Delta Tau & Kappa Delta Rho

4:08 p.m. General Organizations: 1) College of Earth and Mineral Sciences 2) Phi Gamma Nu 3) Phi Chi Theta 4) Men’s and Women’s Club Lacrosse 5) Club Swimming

4:06 p.m. Commonwealth Campuses: 1) Altoona 2) Mont Alto 3) Fayette 4) Berks 5) Schuylkill

4:05 p.m. Independent Dancer couples raised a total of $929,120.18 this year!

4:01 p.m. AND THEY SIT!!!

3:56 p.m. Time for the last line dance of the weekend — hope you know it by now!

3:53 p.m. Entertainment’s THON 2014 recap video is airing. How did the weekend go by so fast?

3:52 p.m. The Executive Committee has joined the Nittany Lion on stage for “My Love is Your Love.” We’re getting close!

3:42 p.m. Four Diamonds Children and Families are joining Go Go on stage for a rendition of Katy Perry’s “Roar” that certainly lives up to its name.

3:15 p.m. Go Go Gadjet is leading a full-out dance party, playing hits like “Stay the Night” and “Can’t Hold Us.”

3:00 p.m. It’s Go Go time! Go Go Gadjet kicks off their set with “Holy Grail.”

2:45 p.m. Morale Captains take the stage for another line dance as Go Go Gadjet sets up behind.

2:42 p.m. The celebration of life continues as the entire BJC claps and dances along to “It’s a Beautiful Life.”

2:38 p.m. Arms link throughout the stands and on the floor as “Angels Among Us” begins to play.

2:16 p.m. And now we’ll remember the children who could not be here with us. We dance for you all and we celebrate you, always.

2:00 p.m. Our final family speaker, the Eli Sidler Family, walks on stage to Will Smith’s “Nod Ya Head” in tribute to their son’s performance at a previous THON. Eli, also known as “Chemo Warrior,” passed away at age 16 in June 2012.

“Having Eli as our son for 16 years was a fantastic gift. He faced cancer like he didn’t have it,” says his father, Bret. “Eli had cancer, but cancer never had Eli.”

1:48 p.m. The Xander Beltz Family is now on stage to tell their story. In just 57 days, Xander will officially be five years off treatment.

“THON is not an event, this is a love-inspired, love-shared event and it is EPIC!” proclaims Dava Beltz as THON’s spectators cheer.

1:45 p.m. “If the energy in this room could be captured — there’s a cure someplace,” says Charles Millard as he addresses the crowd.

1:27 p.m. A child with a bird’s eye view from the floor raises his diamond during Family Hour.

1:21 p.m. Family Relations Director Dylan Miller is introducing all Four Diamonds Families present today as they take the stage.

1:10 p.m. The Gavin Howe Family will now share their story with the packed Bryce Jordan Center. Last year, Gavin found out he was in remission the day after THON 2013 ended.

“I would have never chosen this road to walk, but walking it with all of you makes this all a little easier,” said Cindy Howe, Gavin’s mother.

1:05 p.m. The Ashley Randolph Family is the first to speak during Family Hour 2014. Ashley is not only a Four Diamonds Child but also a junior at Penn State.

“I’ve been able to experience THON as both a student and a THON Child. I can tell you from both experiences, it is completely inspiring. My THON experience has been nothing short of incredible.” – Ashley Randolph

1:01 p.m. James Franklin made a quick stop by THON with three hours to go. “Everyone thinks what makes us special is the football stadium or the basketball arena…what makes us special are the people.”

12:43 p.m. The “Where Are They Now” video is now playing in the BJC with cheers for all of our cancer survivors! Special shout out to all the Four Diamonds kids who have grown up to become Nittany Lions. You are why we THON!

12:26 p.m. Who could forget 2012’s line dance? 409, What a run, Thank you Joe for all you’ve done!”

12:17 p.m. THON has officially announced that the BJC is at capacity and no one else will be allowed in for the rest of THON.

12:12 p.m. We’re taking a trip down memory lane and going over the last five years worth of line dances. This will be the last year the 2009 version will be performed at THON.

11:52 a.m. The Nittany Lion shares a moment and offers a strong shoulder in the family lounge moments ago.

11:34 a.m. It’s time for some RAM squad as we push through the 41st hour.

11:15 a.m. The Nittany Lion is leading the colorful BJC in a rendition of “Shout!” Just what we needed to stretch out.

10:32 a.m. Hope Roslevege is singing to Katy Perry’s “Roar” but her dominating talent seems to be looking cute, and the audience is OK with it.

10:11 a.m. Savannah Keenen kicked off today’s Kid’s Variety Show with her take on “Dancing Crazy” by Miranda Cosgrove. This will be the last variety show of THON 2014.

9:49 a.m. History was just made at THON 2014. Red has officially won the Color War.

9:01 a.m. Reach high and keep dancing, Penn State!

8:25 a.m. Public Domain finishes up with “Wagon Wheel” in what was probably the best overall set of THON weekend. Time for Slides of Strength now!

7:48 a.m. These guys have one of the best set lists in State College, and they’re leaving nothing back at this THON performance. Between “Mr. Jones,” “Jumper,” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” there’s something everyone knows the words to!

7:32 a.m. Public Domain kicks things off with “Follow You Down” by the Gin Blossoms. It’s great to hear some stuff we haven’t so far this weekend!

7:19 a.m. There’s not a line right now to get in the building, which is a first for any recent THON. This should be the last line dance until Public Domain!

6:12 a.m. We just got a quick tap dancing lesson from Josh Johnson, and now OPP is trying to clean the floor for what might be the final time.

5:35 a.m. Garden State is finally finished, although the decision to finish with “Wrecking Ball” may not have been the best received.

4:53 a.m. GSR came prepared with props — the lead singer had a Michael Jackson mask and all the right moves for a cover of “Thriller.”

4:32 a.m. Garden State Radio is the next band up at THON 2014. They’re another energetic four-member cover band with all the regular THON hits in their arsenal like “We Found Love” and “Watch it Burn.”

4:06 a.m. Two Taylor Swift songs in twenty minutes is just about the most exciting thing going on at this point. A new band looks like ti’s getting ready, though! Energy is still high, despite the natural middle-of-the-night lull.

2:58 a.m. Everyone is drowsy and happy and exhausted and delirious and wonderful all at the same time. That about describes the last 25% of THON.

2:33 a.m. We went and checked out the Pegula Ice Arena overflow area. The mood was, in a word, depressing.

2:28 a.m. The Big Uglies are seemingly everywhere — even on the floor of THON 2014.

2:05 a.m. Rince na Leon is treating us to a dance performance. You can also check out our update with women’s volleyball national champion and THON dancer Maggie Harding — she has a great quote about Russ Rose.

1:28 a.m. Jason O and My Hero Zero is still going strong. Everyone is belting out the lyrics to “Living on a Prayer” and the BJC has never been more hyped!

1:15 a.m. Check out this poem written by our own Jenny Kline:

But why does Penn State do this?

Raise diamonds in the sky like stars?

Why do 15,000 students help?

Because THON is who WE ARE.

12:51 a.m. My Hero Zero is mid-way through their traditional energetic set. Definitely one of the great traditions of THON!

12:23 a.m. We caught up with the Men’s Swimming Team after its THON Pep Rally victory. We have video of the performance, too!

Saturday, February 22

11:43 p.m. Rich and Jess met each other at a middle school dance and started dating in 8th grade. Tonight, they got engaged at THON.

11:29 p.m. Everyone is just hanging out now after the pep rally is over. THON is saying that the BJC is at capacity, although that status likely won’t last for long as most of the upper bowl is empty.

11:07 p.m. Here’s how Men’s Swimming ended its winning pep rally performance earlier tonight.

11:04 p.m. We have another THON proposal! Congratulations Rich Lion and Jess O’Lock from FOTO.

10:39 p.m. Your 2014 THON Pep Rally champions are the Men’s Swimming team — and it wasn’t even close! (Photo: Tony Mancuso)

10:10 p.m. Led by Christian Hackenberg, the football team had an impressive performance but it likely won’t be enough tonight.

9:55 p.m. Festivities are underway here in the BJC. Men’s Gymnastics got things started off with all kinds of flips and turns, followed by women’s tennis and women’s volleyball.

9:35 p.m. The football team is on the floor and the THON pep rally is about to begin!

9:10 p.m. The Blue Band is in position and the pep rally is imminent!

9:05 p.m. The Courtney O’Bryan family whose daughter, a THON volunteer passed away, is on stage to present the Courtney O’Bryan Award to Katy Hartigan.

8:13 p.m. The THON variety show is underway! Ashley and Dani Ostott are leading off the Kids’ Variety Show with “See You Again” by Carrie Underwood.

7:59 p.m. We polled our readers, and it verified what we already knew: All across the world, people are tuned in to what’s happening at the BJC right now for THON 2014.

7:49 p.m. We’re in a little but if a lull now as we await for the next act or the pep rally — but first, it’s time for the line dance.

7:40 p.m. THON families have taken over the stage for a Dr. Seuss themed Kid’s Mail Call. The BJC is filling up for people who want to check out the pep rally!

7:06 p.m. And your 2014 Homecoming them is…Honor the Purpose, Carry the Pride!

6:53 p.m. Homecoming is using all of its 30 minutes on the stage; we’re currently watching talent show performances several different orgs. Expect the 2014 theme any minute!

6:35 p.m. We just had the first full wave at the BJC. Expect the 2014 Homecoming theme to be revealed shortly!

6:23 p.m. For the first time in recent history at this point of the night, there is absolutely no line for THON. People are still able to just walk right in at this point — and hopefully many were able to catch the end of LowJack.

5:45 p.m. Lowjack is still going strong. Meanwhile, we caught up with Penn State football coach Herb Hand as he experiences his first THON from the floor.

5:32 p.m. Lowjack is playing its traditional Phyrst set, complete with “Shipping Up to Boston,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Wagon Wheel.” Great sing-a-long songs!

5:15 p.m. We have been informed by R&R members in charge of the PASS system that floor access to THON will be halted until after the pep rally later tonight.

5:06 p.m. THON (and Phyrst!) regular Lowjack is next up for the entertainment portion. This is the fifth year at THON for the band.

4:36 p.m. Time to mop the floors again! We should be ready for another band soon and of course, the athlete pep rally tonight. At least half of the upper bowl is still completely open.

4:11 p.m. We managed to find two previously unacquainted dancers on the floor wearing Spongebob.

3:52 p.m. Some people are still speechless, but here’s our recap of Jay Paterno’s speech to THON 2014. In the meantime, we’ve had the Jump Rope Team jump over live humans.

3:17 p.m. Jay Paterno just gave an incredible, unfiltered speech at THON 2014. We’ll have a full report soon, but here are a few excerpts:

“In the very near future…Penn State students are going to kick in that damn door [on cancer]!”
“Bust your ass the rest of the way…WE ARE…PENN STATE!!!”
“I coached football here…my father coached here for a long time. And nobody can take that away. We know what the truth is.”

2:55 p.m. Just killing some time right now with DJ Larry Moore. We should have the next entertainment act soon!

2:26 p.m. It’s time for some balloon popping Color Wars! Looks like purple will be taking this competition to the bank.

2:17 p.m. What’s it like to be a drum in Penn State’s drumline at THON? Probably something like this.

2:01 p.m. “Cruise” by Florida-Georgia Line might be in the lead for most played song of THON 2014. Pistol Peg is doing its version now.

1:43 p.m. The Altoona-based band is still going strong with covers of country hits that have the crowd singing and dancing along.

1:25 p.m. Pistol Peg gets the crowd swaying to Wagon Wheel.

1:14 p.m. The next band is up Pistol Peg from Altoona. They usually go by “Pistol Peg and the Beer Kegs” but they dropped the second part for THON, of course. They got things started with a great cover of Alabama’s “Mountain Music.”

12:46 p.m. We’re waiting on a new band, we checked up on the PASS situation. As of now, the floor is as “maximum accommodation.”

12:25 p.m. The lineup for the THON fashion show continues to flow onto the Four Diamonds stage as we recognize the snazzy looking children impress the growing crowd.

12:07 p.m. The THON fashion show is underway! This is always one of the best parts of THON — we’ve seen several dozen THON children already, dressed up in their best outfits.

11:51 a.m. The Nittany Lion lends his ears to an adorable THON child. The BJC is filling up fast!

11:42 a.m. There’s not much going on on the stage right now, but lines are starting to get long, despite tons of open seats inside. Get here soon if you want to make it inside for what promises to be an awesome night!

10:55 a.m. Day two of THON is in full swing, although the upperdeck is almost completely empty. All the various Greek organizations are still being introduced on stage.

10:27 a.m. The executive boards of all four Greek councils are on stage now, including IFC President Dan Combs and PHC President Meg DeMallie.

10:21 a.m. It’s Greek hour at the BJC. The history between Greek life and THON is truly amazing.

9:56 a.m. Shake Shake Shake has everyone in the BJC singing to hits like Absolutely (Story of a Girl) and All the Small Things by Blink 182.

9:44 a.m. State College band Shake Shake Shake is up next. You’ve probably heard them at the Saloon or Cafe before!

8:42 a.m. Digital Getdown finished up its set and OPP is doing the first total floor clean of the weekend.

7:40 a.m. The six-piece unit has played a diverse selection of covers, including “Cruise” by Florida-Georgia Line and “Give Me Everything” by Pitbull.

7:26 a.m. The first band of the morning is Philadelphia-based Digital Getdown. They kicked things off with a cover of “Best Song Ever” by One Direction.

7:07 a.m. It’s All-U hour at the BJC, which recognizes the great fundraising work of Penn State’s branch campuses.

6:52 a.m. Fitness instructors are on the stage giving the dancers an aerobics lesson. The sun is almost up and we’re ready for the BJC to fill up to capacity again!

6:17 a.m. Mike the Mailman made a quick appearance to dance to “Hey Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes. What could be more perfect?

6:13 a.m. Penn State Thespians are busting crazy moves on stage right now, led by Devon Fields of Pegula Ice Arena fame.

5:59 a.m. We went behind the scenes to check out all the great resources available to dancers. Apparently peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the most popular snack of THON!

5:40 a.m. Thriller blasting through the speakers is enough to wake everyone up — especially our own Max the Moraler.

5:29 a.m. The slower hours of THON are carrying on with D.J. Larry Moore keeping everyone entertained. The stands will be filled again soon enough!

4:45 a.m. Our very own “life moraler” Max the Moraler made his way on stage! Did you spot him? Read more about Max here and get ready for another video series!

4:27 a.m. Larry Moore is playing some great classic rock hits to get everyone through the night. We’re not going anywhere!

3:45 a.m. Giant Jenga is taking over the floor as dancers and moralers compete for Color Wars points.

3:09 a.m. She said yes! Congratulations to Jace Toner and Sarah Collier on their THON engagement.

2:57 a.m. We have a marriage proposal here at the BJC! We’re going to talk to the bride-to-be now.

2:33 a.m. The band 12x is still going strong, with covers of big-time hits like “Sweet Caroline,” “Jump Around,” and “All the Small Things.”

2:15 a.m. Hey look, it’s Afro Kid!

2:06 a.m. Long Island’s “12x” are playing a full set for the late night THON crowd. “Run-Around” by Blues Traveler has everyone on their feet.

1:32 a.m. We’re still going strong here at the BJC. Dancers are passing the time by batting around beach balls and visiting with friends. By the looks of the stage, we’ll have a new band soon!

1:13 a.m. THON is still rocking as we await the next band to take the stage. We also ran into representatives from the University of Delaware’s dance marathon, who stopped by to check out our THON!

12:48 a.m. And the winner of the 2014 THON’s Got Talent Competition is…Club Croquet!

12:41 a.m. While we have some downtime at THON, check out what all the front row banners look like this year.

12:25 a.m. Club Croquet put together a great four-piece Avicii cover to round out THON’s Got Talent. We’ll see how the voting ends up, but for now, it’s time for another line dance!

12:07 a.m. Another day means a new link to the live blog. For anyone interested in coming up to the BJC tonight, lines are almost nonexistent.

Friday, February 21

11:59 p.m. Colin Rowe is next up in THON’s Got Talent. He’s kicking things off with a cover of “Radioactive” from Imagine Dragons.

11:52 p.m. Cara Wojciechowski is covering Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” in a great acoustic performance — and everyone knows the words (if they don’t, they’re pretending).

11:43 p.m. Mail call! Dancers are grabbing their first portion of mail from friends, family, and supporters. Most of the upper bowl is still open for those of you who want to spend the night.

11:27 p.m. The Urban Dance Troupe is killing it right now, with performances to Timber and other pop hits. Also, we just published our Lenine Crown review, which you can read here.

10:47 p.m. For only $10 and an Amazon account, the brothers of Phi Kappa Theta got themselves some LED THON lights.

10:37 p.m. It wouldn’t be THON without the Chicken Dance, and the first one is upon us right now.

10:29 p.m. Lenina Crowne finished off its set with another Beatle’s favorite, “With a Little Help From My Friends.” While we wait for the next act, you can practice this year’s line dance moves with this video.

9:44 p.m. Great set so far from first-year THON band Lenina Crowne. The entire BJC is swaying back and forth to “Piano Man” right now.

9:24 p.m. Things are rocking in the BJC Lenina Crowne, whose set includes “Jumper” by Third Eye Blind and “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond. Also, some members of Kappa Kappa Gamma are planning to stay at the BJC for all 46 hours.

9:06 p.m. Lenina Crowne has taken the stage as the first band of THON 2014 and kicked things off with a great cover of “All the Things I’ve Done” by the Killers. Find out more about the group here.

8:52 p.m. Morale captains to the stage! We’re almost on hour three here at THON 2014.

8:22 p.m. The Peace, Love, Lyrical dance group impressed the crowd with a great performance. Beach balls are flying, thousands of students are dancing, and everyone is having a great time after the first two hours of THON 2014!

7:42 p.m. As we await our first entertainment act to take the stage, read about some of the runners in the Hope Express, which arrived today in State College after the 135 mile run from Hershey.

7:32 p.m. This is what THON is all about. THON child Layn Burger has some fun on the shoulders of dancer Brian Schacter with Penn State Hillel. (Photo: Bobby Chen/THONward State)

7:12 p.m. Watch the dancers stand in GIF form.

7:01 p.m. Morale captains are still teaching the line dance to the 707 dancers. Energy is high here at the BJC!

6:41 p.m. Hey, who let the gorilla into THON?

6:30 p.m. Dancers just learned the line dance for the first time. Here’s our favorite line:

For the cause, we unite / All together, Blue and White

Feeling lost, look around! / Penn State lives all over town

6:15 p.m. It’s a party at the BJC! Beach balls, color, signs, and everything that THON brings is evident as the second level of the arena begins to fill.

6:04 p.m. Dancers are up! Let’s party, Penn State.

5:55 p.m. Dancers stand in five minutes!

5:42 p.m. Brittany Hicks and Chris Carmody have everyone pumped up with a live rendition of their song “Diamonds on the Air.” 5:27 p.m. Four Diamonds Fund Founder Charles Millard is currently speaking. “To watch you grow and become the largest student-run philanthropy in the world has been an overwhelming experience for my wife, Irma, and me. The Four Diamonds celebrated its 42nd anniversary, and you people make it capable of doing what it does big time.” 5:24 p.m. Four Diamonds Child Sydney Bush and her sister Katie sing the National Anthem to the crowded Bryce Jordan Center. 5:13 p.m. The dancers are all in the BJC and we’re ready for the best 46 hours of the year.

4:49 p.m. The lower bowl is almost full as Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” blasts through the loudspeaker. Just over an hour until dancers stand! 4:27 p.m. The human tunnel is in full force as dancers begin to enter the BJC! About half the lower bowl is full of color as we welcome the dancers inside.

4:02 p.m. The doors are open and the human tunnel is formed to welcome dancers into the BJC.

3:45 p.m. The line wraps all the way around Gate E. 10 minutes until the doors open!

3:00 p.m. The first people this morning arrived at 5:45 a.m. to reserve spots for their dancers. Only an hour until doors open!

2:55 p.m. The 2014 sign is officially up. Almost three hours until we dance!

2:49 p.m. Waiting in line for THON? You probably got a hi-five from one of our writers!

2:23 p.m. Committee members are scattered across the floor while “Something” by the Beatles plays over the loudspeaker. Doors open in a little more than 90 minutes!

1:49 p.m. The stage is set and thousands are waiting in line to get in at 4 p.m.