THON's $10.68 million breaks record

Tables are set-up to serve dancers a meal.
Photo by Shawn Annarelli

I wish we never had to leave.

That is what I‘ll say when someone asks me about my experience at THON weekend.

The first minute

THON’s Overall Chairperson Elaine Tanella kicked off THON’s finale with a two-minute introduction before leading a 10-second countdown for dancers to stand up.

Everyone else stood and followed Tanella’s lead. When the dancers stood, the Bryce Jordan Center quaked. 

“I came to dance, dance, dance, dance,” hit the loudspeakers, and the 46-hour dance maraTHON was on.

THON's finale is two days away

I will be leaving for THON weekend in 42 hours.

I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about spending time with the kids, dancing and having one of the best experiences life can offer. Oh, and I’ve got some good news. You can still donate.

But I’ve got some bad news, too. 12,500 children will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and 2,300 children will lose their battle.

How to prepare for THON weekend

Will THON top last year's record $9.56 million effort? Photo by Shawn Inglima.

This is the most excited I’ve been in a long, long time and for good reason.

We are only five days away from THON.

This is an opportunity for students and THON families to celebrate another year of great efforts to raise funds and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Without further ado, here’s what you need to do to be ready for the best weekend of the year.

1. Bring Kleenex.

We all know THON weekend will be a lot of fun, so why would we want to bring Kleenex?

I’ve never been to THON weekend before, but I’ve talked to several THON veterans that said you should expect to cry. A lot. This weekend brings with it a mixed bottle of emotions.

How to prepare for canning

Photo submitted by Molly Thomas.

For those of us braving the wintery weather, we need to be prepared for anything during our last canning weekend.

1.  Bring the Right Attitude.

Wear a smile, and be attentive to onlookers. This appears engaging to bystanders. In order to raise donations and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer, we should appear friendly to others.