Penn State Abington THONers keep the positive energy flowing during the 46-hour dance marathon.
The 2016 THON raised almost $10 million for the Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. There was no sleeping and no sitting for more than 700 dancers including Penn State Abington students and very little sleep for the thousands of moralers and supporters.
Past Helps Present: Diana Nolte, who danced for Abington last year, dressed in an orange moraler T-shirt to support dancers Eric Meyers and Kate Smith.
The money raised by THON — $136 million since 1977— is used to cover treatment costs for pediatric cancer patients and support cancer research.
Giving Thanks: Dancer Kate Smith meets a child who donated her birthday money to THON.
Hour 39: Kate, a senior rehabilitation and human services major, relies on a care package to power through the last seven hours of THON.
Streeettchh: No sitting and no sleeping at THON but all dancers including Eric and Kate stretch, hydrate, and eat right to stay healthy.
Dedication: An Abington student flaunts his passion for THON as the moralers board a bus from Abington to University Park for THON.
All Aboard: Abington sends one of the largest groups of moralers to THON outside of University Park. The moralers load up a bus with food, water, and games for the Abington dancers.
Sophomore Steve Bellendorf joined THON his first year at Abington and said a student's campus location is irrelevant to the mission.
“We’re all Penn State students, we’re all here for the same cause,” he said.
