With the first weekend of canning finished and the fund raising for Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon in full swing, the 2004 theme, "Always Believing," is being put to work.

Although the theme was decided upon several months ago, it is now trickling down to the student body.

"[The theme] really encompasses what we want this year to be," said Lindsay McAviney, communications chair. "We're always believing in the cure."

Many people can interpret the theme in many ways, she added. This is one of the main reasons that "Always Believing" was chosen; it reflects any belief that a student, faculty member, child or family involved with Thon has, McAviney said.

Once the theme becomes better known around campus, people will understand and develop their own meanings, said Fehran Frank, public relations chair.

"We're always believing in every aspect of what we do for the kids," said Adam Duff, overall chair.

Thon is about always believing in finding a cure for all types of cancer, he added.

"To me the theme exemplifies what Thon is all about," said Kevin Homan, morale captain.

Several students not involved with Thon said they liked the theme.

"I think it's very appropriate because we have to keep believing that we can make a difference in these kids' lives," Colleen Abbott (freshman-communications) said.

No one has ever given up in the belief that a cure will be found, Homan said.

There is a time set aside every year by the overall committee to decide on a theme for Thon, Duff said.

On the weekend of Aug. 30, the overall committee took a retreat to discuss their goals and vision for the coming year.

It was at this retreat, after hours of discussion, that the theme for Thon 2004 was born.

"We gathered in a circle and people began to discuss themes," Duff said. It took three and a half hours to decide on a theme. The chairs discussed what Thon meant to them and what they envisioned in the coming year, Duff said.

The committee members began by talking about words that describe how they feel about Thon, McAviney said.

"It was a long and exhaustive process because you try to embody what Thon means," she said.

The selection of a theme for Thon is not a set process, but there is time that is set aside to reflect on what the overall committee envisions for the kids, their families and Penn State, Duff said.

Finally, one member of the committee said "Always Believing." At that moment, the committee knew they had found their theme, McAviney said.

Although there are students who are enthusiastic about the theme, others hope it is applied to the kids, not only the Penn State students who participate in Thon.

"Always Believing" is a wonderful theme for those involved in Thon, but unfortunately Thon has had less emphasis on the kids each year, Natalie Young (senior-management systems and information science) said.

"Hopefully we can make Thon for the kids," she said. "I could see this theme getting taken from the kids and turned more towards always believing you can get through anything for the dancers, captains and other people involved."

Young said that it does not matter what the theme is this year, because every year the theme of Thon is saving lives.