At noon on Saturday, a miniature assembly line of pickles, lettuce and deli meats was set to feed those involved with the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon -- all 1,800 of them.
"We support the kids, and we'll do our part to help out the community," State College Subway Restaurants owner Ben Farahani said of Subway's 19th time providing food for Thon. "We'll make 1,800 six-inch sandwiches and 1,800 bags of chips -- it's a well-oiled machine."
Grabbing at sandwiches stuffed with various deli meats and basic fixings, dancers were thrilled with the opportunity to refuel and direct their focus to something other than their aching feet.
"I get restless standing," dancer Drew Karr (senior-accounting) said.
"It's something to do and it takes times," he said.
Hospitality captain Brad Fryer (sophomore-division of undergraduate studies) said Thon collaborates with the companies to develop a fitting menu for the dancers.
"We request what worked the best and what people liked the best," Fryer said, adding that nutrition is also strongly considered. "A lot of salads and Subway."
Some dancers said while the meals provide much-needed sustenance, they felt the meals were served at intervals spaced too far apart.
"I'd want them to be more frequent," dancer Dan Einwag (senior-accounting) said. "They expect us to eat at times [meals would generally be served] if we were not dancing."
At the Olympic-themed "FTK Village" snack bar, dancer Jason Livingston (sophomore-finance) patiently watched a hospitality committee member cut a banana onto a slice of peanut butter-doused bread.
"[The sandwich] is filling and tasty -- more substantial than just an apple," Livingston said. "There is so much food available."
Hospitality committee member Bridget Quinn (sophomore-supply chain and information systems), standing before an assortment of healthy snacks, said the food is available free of charge to anyone who seeks a boost. "It gives them something to eat and keep up their energy," Quinn said. "[The healthy options] give them a mental edge."
