Students, dancers and families alike gathered at the 2001 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon Kick-off Dinner to celebrate the biggest student-run philanthropic event in the world.

With the 29th Dance Marathon only two weeks away, the excitement throughout the room was undeniable.

Assistant director of greek life and dance marathon adviser Cindy Day Erwin opened the event after a brief introductory video about the incentive for being a part of Thon.

"This year history was made when we became the largest student-run philanthropy event not in the nation, but the world," Erwin said. "History was made when we had to turn away more students then ever before."

The theme of the 2001 Thon is "Within Reach," an idea that ran throughout many of the speeches of the evening.

"Our motto and our mission is, 'Conquering Childhood Cancer,' " said Four Diamonds advisory board chairperson Kenneth Spatz. "This motto also means lessening the emotional and financial burdens on cancer patients' families. This wouldn't be possible without Thon and without all of you."

The 2001 Thon marks the 25th year that proceeds will be going to the Four Diamonds Fund for research in the cure and prevention of pediatric cancer. Walt Breuninger, overall dance marathon chairman, is excited that this year may mark the biggest year for Thon ever.

"Five years ago we made a promise to donate $5 million to the Four Diamond foundation over the course of five years," said Breuninger. "In 1999 we met that goal by donating $1 million. In 2000 we doubled that amount and in 2001 we might pay off the entire $5 million two years early."

The evening continued with a small awards ceremony. The winner of the Courage Award was Jackie Miller, a single mother whose son was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 1 year old.

"This spring we're entering our last treatment with the hope of a cure over the horizon," Miller said in reference to her son's chemotherapy treatments. "We would not be here without Four Diamonds and Four Diamonds would not be here without the Dance Marathon family."

The winner of the Honesty Award was the Hochberger family; the winner of the Wisdom Award was Larry Moore of Larry Moore Productions, the exclusive DJ team of Thon for the past 11 years; and the winner of the Strength Award was Pat Kehew.

Giving out the Rick Funk Scholarship was last year's winner, Jennifer Doebler. This year's recipient was Kristen Schein, the 2000 Penn State Homecoming Queen and last year's Thon family relations chair. The Outstanding Service Award went to Andrea Gaspardino, the previous adviser of Dance Marathon.

The final speaker, owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and The New York Times best-selling author Pat Croce, put a cap on the enthusiasm of the crowd with his rousing speech.

"The Sixers' mission is to win games, especially that last play-off game," said Croce. "But your mission is to win lives. People are going to tell you, 'It can't be done, it can't be done,' but I assure you it is 'within reach.' It can be done."