POTTSVILLE, Pa. — While the 46-hour dance marathon that is THON takes place in Happy Valley, Penn State's branch campuses, including one in Schuylkill County, also contribute.
"I started here in 2010 and basically had no idea what THON even was and walked into a group of about four, five students who were very passionate and committed about THON and raised about $2,600 that year, and to see how much it's progressed is just amazing and awesome to be a part of," said co-advisor Tina Rose.
THON will take place this weekend, and Penn State Schuylkill near Schuylkill Haven will be sending four students to dance. The branch campus raised more than $31,000 to fight childhood cancer and is sponsoring Devin Pulaski, a 7-year-old cancer survivor from Palmyra.
"I love the THON people because they show kids, they give kids whatever they need. They give them joy, they give them happiness, and they give them someone to play with."
"Our THON children are the most upbeat, positive kids you could ever meet. We recently went to a Hershey Bears hockey game with two of them, and they just had a blast," said sophomore Leeana Gretsky.
"With THON, it's a whole lot of interacting with a lot of things people don't really think about every day. With being diagnosed as a child with cancer, it can change their lives, and being a part of this, we were able to help our three families," said senior Eric Thompson.
This also marked the final year that Tina Rose and Ron Kelly will serve as THON co-advisors for Penn State Schuylkill.
