Penn State Behrend graduates and Sweet Water Decor employees Mackenzie Allshouse and Melissa Horvath are partnering with THON to design a custom candle to help raise funds for childhood cancer.

Sweet Water Decor, based out of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, markets candles, decor, stationery, and more. Many of the products, including the Dream Forward candle, are made in-house by the production team at Sweet Water Decor.

“It’s cool to give back in a way because a lot of our mission is providing light into people’s lives. What better way than to partner with THON on this?” Horvath said.

Sweet Water products are found all over, from the homes of Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lopez to Macy’s Department Stores, to your local boutique down the street. Appearing in over 7,000 total locations so far, Horvath and Allshouse believed the products really do speak for themselves.

Allshouse graduated from Penn State in 2017 with a degree in project and supply chain management. After working with the Pittsburgh Steelers after graduation, Allshouse joined Sweet Water Decor just over a year ago as an associate merchant.

For Allshouse, her current day entails all of the logistics involved with online retail and e-commerce. Catering to holidays and special seasons, she works to bring the candles and other products to life through the screen.

Horvath, owner and designer of Sweet Water Decor, graduated from Penn State in 2010. Horvath earned a degree in finance and minored in marketing, and initially took her skills into the corporate world with Dick’s Sporting Goods.

She moved then moved into another role with FedEx Grounds as a financial analyst, and felt like she was missing her creative space. Thus, the vision for Sweet Water Decor was born.

Engaged at the time, Horvath realized that she had the creative ability to design many products similar to the ones she was looking for for her wedding.

“I started making invitations on Etsy after work as a hobby and didn’t think this would ever amount to anything near what it has. Over nine months, it became my life and my full-time job,” Horvath said.

Joined by her first employee in 2016, followed by her husband as well, the company slowly began to take shape and has evolved into 40 team members and ownership of three warehouses.

As an owner, Horvath’s day-to-day is different every single day. Having previously filled every role in the company, she now gets to focus on the strategic, marketing side of the brand.

Salt and Sea, the scent used in the Dream Forward candle, is Allshouse’s favorite scent and a bestseller on Amazon. Warm And Cozy, Horvath’s favorite, was named the top fall scented candle by Forbes. Designing the candles was no easy process, especially for one as impactful as the Dream Forward candle.

For Allshouse, the design of the Dream Forward candle was more personal and a real career highlight. Allshouse served as the morale chair for two years during her time at Penn State before dancing in THON 2015.

Between bonding with families, high emotions, touring the Hershey Medical Center, meeting her husband, and being a part of a great cause, THON has meant so much to Allshouse.

“There was a moment while we were on the floor during the Final Four where one of the girls in our Four Diamonds family looked up at me and said, ‘I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you and everything you guys do,'” Allshouse said.

Empowered by her experiences, Allshouse felt she wanted to give back to THON in a creative way. With Horvath on board, she reached out to THON about the idea of a potential candle collaboration.

THON loved the idea, and Sweet Water Decor began collaborating with it on the design, orders, and production. The candles were launched in conjunction with the Dream Forward campaign, in hopes of increasing fundraising efforts in the current window.

“We’ve actually seen a lot of great success, a lot of great sharing and responses from the THON communities. We’re just really excited to give participants and supporters another option to contribute to THON, and also get a nice candle for their home,” Allshouse said.

50% of every THON item on the site is donated back to THON, with the additional option for buyers to credit their organization or IDC. Proceeds from the candles are a part of THON’s larger Dream Forward campaign, starting with the THON 5K and ending at the 100 Days Until THON event.