Yesterday evening, the 2012 THON Captains received a long-awaited knock on their doors, informing them of their new positions. In lieu of the addition to this year's THON assembly, committee member applications are now available, and we know you're itching to fill them out.
One thing that has surely crossed all minds is THON. While we are only beginning to wonder about the upcoming THON year, Overall Elaine Tanella, and a good number of other THON overalls and captains have been hard at work all summer. To pull off the spectacle that is THON, you need an entire year. In the hopes of satisfying your FTK curiosity, I talked with Elaine to see what they have been up to during our absence from Happy Valley and to get to know the person who is heading up this mission.
It is with a heavy heart that I write of the passing of Alexia Barnett, one of Penn State's beloved THON children.
Over the past three days, an internet rally centered around Twitter and Facebook has been waged in order to help THON child Lexi Bartlett meet her idol, Taylor Swift. According to the event page,“Lexi is 6 years old and has stage 4 Neuroblastoma cancer. She has been fighting this horrible disease since she was 3 years old," and "she wants nothing more than to meet Taylor Swift." Well, after Saturday night, perhaps that aspiration should be expressed in the past tense.
The Penn State Dance Marathon is teaming up with another Major League Baseball team this summer in order raise money once again for the world's largest student-run philanthropy. On June 3rd, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be sponsoring "Penn State Night to Benefit THON" at PNC Park. That night, the Pirates will be taking on the Philadelphia Phillies who hosted their own THON night last year. A portion of the proceeds coming from $20 lower-level tickets or $12 upper-level tickets will be donated.
Although THON 2012 is sadly still many months away, there are still plenty of opportunities to raise some more money for the kids. Today, Rita's on Beaver Ave will donate 20% of their proceeds to THON.