The students who will struggle to keep their feet moving for 48 hours at the 1994 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon are not the only ones working hard to support the families and children who benefit from the Four Diamonds Fund.

Within the last several years, five satellite Four Diamonds Fund groups have started up in south-central Pennsylvania. The five groups, are located in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties, with one group serving both Adams and York counties.

The groups serve primarily as fund-raisers, and they consist both of families who have had children diagnosed with cancer and community-minded individuals with a desire to help the children who benefit from Four Diamonds.

Nancy Kerns is the president of the York and Adams counties group that formed in 1991. Kerns' son died from cancer in 1985, and she said it took a few years, but in 1991, "we felt we were ready to help give back to the community."

Kerns said since starting the satellite group, members have worked not only on their own fund-raising events, but also with fund-raisers the other groups have held.

"There is great cooperation between the different satellite groups," Kerns said, adding that whenever one group needs help with a fund-raiser, the others are willing to pitch in. Kerns will attend the dance marathon for the first time this year.

Julie Atkins, president of the Lancaster County group, has been involved with the Four Diamonds Fund since 1987 when her son was diagnosed with leukemia. In 1989, Atkins helped start the Lancaster County group.

Atkins said the groups sponsor a wide variety of fund-raising events, including a medieval feast, dinners and auctions. Last October the group sold Monopoly-like games, with local restaurants and businesses making donations in return for getting their names on the game board.

In Dauphin County, Peggy Puerzer has served as president of the group since July. The group started a year and a half ago, and like the other satellite groups, works year-round to raise money.

Puerzer described working for the group as an "all-consuming thing." She said in addition to fund raising, she has spoken to people about starting other satellite organizations.

Puerzer agreed with Kerns about cooperation between the satellite groups, saying, "There is a lot of cooperation -- it's just the nature of the group."