Greeks hit streets to start first day of Dance Marathon canning

By KRISTEN VANDERPOOL
Collegian Staff Writer

The Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon 2000 is exactly three months away and the first and only canning weekend for this semester begins today.

Various organizations will be traveling to cities along the northeastern seaboard collecting money for Thon.

Canning for this weekend will include students standing at intersections and shopping centers with cans and official dance marathon signs, asking for money. Some students also will be pledge booking or going door to door asking for pledges and then billing supporters later, said Stephanie Simon, president of Sigma Delta Tau sorority.

This is the second year that canning has been a part of fall semester Thon activities.

"It's kind of a new thing to have a fall canning weekend, so we are trying to get more participation," said Kristy Wysocki, Alpha Chi Omega sorority Thon chair.

Although fall canning may be a new item on the Thon agenda, some people believe that canning is one of the most successful ways of raising money for Thon.

"Canning has been an extremely successful way to raise money for Dance Marathon, but it is also a bonding experience and enjoyable weekend for the people who go," said Walt Breuninger, overall public relations chair for Thon.

People will be going to New York, New Jersey, Virginia and all over Pennsylvania to can. However, some organizations find they make the most amount of money by traveling to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and staying within a two-hour radius of State College.

"I think there is a better response rate when you can in Pennsylvania because there is a better awareness of Hershey Medical Center and Penn State University," said Trish Haas, Gamma Phi Beta sorority Thon chair.

The money raised through canning will be placed toward the organizations' total amount raised for Thon.

"One hundred percent of the money we get goes to the Four Diamonds Fund," Haas said.

Thon 2000 will be February 18 to 20 in Rec Hall. This year's logo is "Love Never Fails."

The Penn State dance marathon is the largest student-run philanthropy in the nation, having raised millions of dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund since 1977.

The Four Diamonds Fund was created in 1972. The fund provides financial assistance and emotional support for families with children being treated at Children's Hospital at the Hershey Medical Center.