Re: "Thon would mean more if businesses, dancers didn't benefit so much," Feb. 28 column. The author asks, "Is there such a thing as a purely charitable act at all?" Why does he look for ulterior motives for everyone? Why is he so condescending upon people to call their good deeds selfish motives?

Call me idealistic, but I believe that our society's ideals are driven by and do involve charity. If Thon wants to try and recognize the dancer's efforts with a few gifts and a free T-shirt, then so be it.

As a dancer, I know firsthand that it's a lot more than four weekends out of the year. Maybe coming from a spectator at the event, you can say that it had everything "handed to you on a silver platter." Have you organized a canning trip, stood outside all day in the cold, stayed on your feet for 48 straight hours, helped plan for months before the event?

By the sound of it, you did very little, if anything, because if you did, you would know the sacrifice it took to make Thon possible and successful.

Thon survives because of the growing awareness that there is an opportunity to give back, a chance to save a child. If the businesses thrive that weekend and make their charitable donations known, who cares? They're doing a good thing. You need to look beyond the recognition and see what's in their hearts.

It's not just one weekend, it's all year long! So, stop ridiculing their good deeds and give them a pat on the back, even if they are in it for the recognition, it's still benefiting a worthwhile cause. Thon is selflessness; Thon is why you don't see people for weeks; Thon is sacrifice; Thon is what makes me proud to say I go to Penn State.