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[ Monday, Feb. 21, 2000 ]
Dancers set new record with more than $3 million
By Colleen Hyland
Collegian Staff Writer
This weekend's Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon meant more dancers, more performers and, most importantly, more money.
"Love Never Failed" this weekend as the 28th dance marathon raised $3,076,983.97 for the Four Diamonds Fund of the University's Hershey Medical Center.
PHOTO: Dan Saelinger/Collegian
Dancers perform the line dance early Saturday afternoon in Rec Hall. The line dance is one of the motivational tools used to encourage dancers.
Top greek money raisers were Kappa Delta Rho fraternity, 420 E. Prospect Ave., and Delta Delta Delta sorority in third place, Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, 409 E. Fairmount Ave., and Alpha Chi Omega sorority in second and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 321 E. Fairmount Ave., and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority in first.
Alpha Tau Omega and Zeta Tau Alpha, who have won top money raising honors for the past five years, collected $305,563.64, the most money ever raised by any organization in Thon history.
"We have so many devoted people and we just put all we have into it," Jessica Keiser (sophomore-public relations), a sister at Zeta Tau Alpha said.
Commonwealth and grant campuses raised a total of $127,339.58 this year. Top campuses included in third place Mont Alto, in second place Wilkes-Barre, and in first place, raising $60,840.26, was Fayette campus.
Phi Gamma Nu, who raised $45,616.60, was the top independent organization.
Peggy Castle, a Four Diamonds mother, was amazed by the amount of money raised and thought the weekend as whole was fabulous.
"It's such an inspiration to all of the kids. It is mind bending what the Penn State students do," Castle said. "The whole weekend has such a positive influence on what is a bad thing."
Angela Sorco (junior-elementary education), a morale captain at this year's Thon, was stunned when the total money amount was announced.
"It is absolutely amazing," Sorco said. "I am so proud of everyone involved in dance marathon 2000."
Brian Sperling, overall chair for Thon 2000, said $3 million means everything and that because of it, researchers are getting closer to finding an end for childhood cancer.
"The money does amazing things," said Kirsten Werme, Four Diamonds Fund coordinator. "It covers services and helps us find a cure for pediatric cancer."
Charles Millard, co-founder of Four Diamonds, said dance marathon is one of the most precious moments of the year and he is astounded at the amount of money raised.
"All I thought was, 'Oh my god, what will next year's students do,' " Millard said.
With Thon 2000 over, Sorco is already looking forward to next year.
"Let's keep on reaching for the stars and find a cure for cancer," she said.
