Dance marathon-stealing Grinch learns important lesson

From November to February, year after year, he watched as the Lions fought for the cause held so dear. And he cursed all their efforts, and he sneered at their rants, and he even despised the beloved line dance.

While he watched with a frown, the committees were chosen, and quickly his heart became even more frozen. He watched as the Lions went door-to-door, and the Grinch hated Thon every day more and more.

"Curse those Lions, and their big heart," sneered the beast. "If only I could ruin their cause in the least." And he waited and saw as registration took place, and he noticed the dancers and loathed every smiling face. Kickoff dinner came then, soon after, and the Grinch cringed and shook at the sound of the laughter. "I must stop this Thon!" thought the Grinch as he scowled. And he fumed and he fretted and pouted and howled.

Then he got an idea.

An awful idea.

The Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea.

"I will steal their dance marathon" he thought with a grin. "I will take all their joy, and at last I will win! I will take all their cans, and their signs and their pledge books. I will take their kind wishes and happy, caring looks. I will take their theme hours, their committees and treats. I will steal their clean socks and new shoes for their feets! I will sneak to Happy Valley, and their Thon I will take. Then I'll watch from Mount Nittany as their hearts fall and break!"

So the night before Thon to the White Building he crept. And he tore down the "walk" and his tiny heart leapt. He packed all the signs, and the banners and food, and he put them away and he sealed them up good. He kidnapped the captains, and guests and moralers.

"Let's see them try to get through 48 hours!" And he laughed as he thought of the heartache he'd bring. "At last, I have ruined this marathon thing!"

And when he had the trappings all tied up and bagged, and when he had Todd Waltman all bound up and gagged, he fled to Mount Nittany with the cargo in tow, to await their reactions from the cold mountain snow.

From his perch on Mount Nittany, the Grinch heard a sound, and it caused his weak, little heart to pound. With each passing second, the noise became louder, and it reached the Grinch laying in the snowy, white powder. And the Grinch realized from the place where he hid, that the Lions were chanting the phrase "For the kids."

And the Grinch knew at once, that Thon had not ended, and that no child's heart would need to be mended. You see, the Lions were there in the White Building that day, and their voices were proud and their songs were still gay. And the Grinch stood up quickly, and growled with fright.

"How could it be that they still dance tonight?" They danced without moralers, they danced without themes. They danced without captains or JoePa or teams! They danced without presents they danced without praise, but they kept right on dancing for two-straight, full days!

And when the Grinch saw this, something happened to his heart. It turned into a diamond, split up in four parts: Courage, Wisdom, Honesty, Strength. And it was 12-inches high and 10-inches in length.

The Grinch flew down Mount Nittany, with the speed of a hawk, and he helped the captains re-assemble the "walk." And he joined in the theme hours, and he played with the kids, and he never went back to the place he once hid.

And every year after, the Grinch danced at Thon, and he preached that its spirit should live on and on. Not just in Happy Valley, but all places far and near. May the giving spirit of Thon last throughout the whole year.