Acorn

Issue date: 10/31/06 Section: News

 

Sophomores Lauren Collini and Shannon Shea want Drew students to dance all night-and they hope to raise over $15,000 in the process.

Collini and Shea founded a Drew chapter of the Penn State University "THON" program.

By participating in THON, students raise money for pediatric cancer research at various events throughout the year.

The highlight of the program is the 48-hour dance-a-thon party held in the PSU gymnasium.

Over the past 30 years, PSU's THON program has raised over $40 million for The Four Diamonds Fund.

Four Diamonds offsets costs of pediatric cancer treatment not covered by insurance, as well as other costs incurred by families of young patients.

 It also supports the medical team that cares for the children and the cancer research at Penn State Children's Hospital.

Other schools noticed the strides THON has made in fundraising and joined the fight. "All over the U.S., there are mini-THONS in high schools and colleges," Collini said.

 Collini, president of the Drew Mini-THON, was involved in a mini-THON run by her high school senior class. "We made $15,000 that year alone," she said.

Collini hopes to make just as much at Drew this year-if not more. "All the money that we make will be put into the pot at Penn State," she said.

Collini and Shea encourage students and faculty to get involved. Field Hockey Coach Kelly Ford is the Drew chapter's advisor.

Mini-THON will work in conjunction with the Drew Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. SAAC President senior Josh Mirrer said the organization will focus most of its community service efforts on Mini-THON this year.

Plans for Mini-THON activities are in development, but the leaders have many ideas.

"We'll be going to field hockey, women's soccer and basketball games, canning [and] asking people for donations," Shea said. "So far we've made $207.34 and we're just getting started."

"Our first main event will probably be during homecoming weekend," Collini said.

They plan to have a raffle that week and winners will get to sit on a couch on the sidelines and get free snacks.

SAAC will probably set up a concession stand at home games and Shea and Collini will organize students to go canning, collecting money outside using tin cans.

Students will can in Madison every weekend, as well as local stores such as Target and Stop & Shop. "Canning is probably going to be our biggest income," Collini said.

There will also be a barbeque, tailgating events at sports games and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Next semester, SAAC will have a "Mr. Drew" pageant contest.

"There will be senior representatives from all over campus. There will be a talent, swimwear and eveningwear competition," Mirrer said.

Mini-THON and SAAC will organize a 5K run/walk in March that will be open to both Madison and Morristown.

They will then have their own 24-hour dance-a-thon in April.

Drew students will also attend the 48-hour dance-a-thon at PSU in February. Shea attended last year and had a fantastic time.

"You're in a huge gym with lead dancers on a stage and everyone else dancing on the floor," she said. "Anyone who wants to see them can cheer them on in the stands."

The dancers pledge to dance for 48 hours, with some breaks in between.

"There are people there whose job it is to keep everyone else pumped," Shea said. "They give beach balls and balloons to people in the stands." 

Collini and Shea encourage students to fundraise on their own. "I'm going to put something out at my uncle's beauty salon and the restaurant where I work to collect money," Shea said.

"It's such a good cause," Collini said. "We're asking students to do a minimal amount of work and it's pure charity. And it's fun."

Students can contribute as much time and effort as they want. "It helps kids who want to get involved in things, but can't make much of a time commitment," Shea said.

The students are excited not only about the community service aspect of Mini-THON, but also the way it can bring the campus together.

 "THON is a great way to bridge campus gaps," Mirrer said. "So many people on campus want to do good things. It appeals to such a wide range of people and everyone can get involved with it."

The first Mini-THON organizational meeting was Tuesday, but it's not too late to get involved.

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