I'm a romantic at heart and a pragmatist in practice.

The romantic in me has always found the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (Thon) disingenuous. The pragmatist in me has always understood that raising $4 million for cancer research on purely altruistic grounds is a pipe dream.

So, I've held a long truce with Thon -- I love what the participants do, but I question the way it is presented.

Thon was born under the same star as "rape-free zones" and the initiative to ban strippers from rush period. Thon's Web site concedes that Thon was created former IFC President Phil Lear "in attempt to rebuild the IFC's image." Thirty years and millions of dollars later Thon still carries a reputation of self interest -- largely because the greeks have failed to show any kind of subtlety when it comes to taking credit for Thon's accomplishments.

In a Feb. 22 letter, "Thon provides students chance to help others," Beau Grove managed to write 149 words about Thon without mentioning cancer. He did manage to remember the kids and slipped them into a 12-word clause before going on to talk about how amazing it was that fraternity members were willing to dance to a Grease medley.

As much as these things drive me nuts, I was willing to let it go, because there is no arguing with all of the positive impact of Thon.

Thon is a major source of funding for the Four Diamonds Fund, which improves health care and medical options available to children living with cancer. It also eases the day-to-day burdens placed on each child's family.

Since the Four Diamonds fund was established, survival rates have gone from 30 percent to 80 percent for children suffering from pediatric cancer, according to Thon's Web site, www.thon.org.

Maybe Thon participants take a few more curtain calls than I think is appropriate, and maybe the mentality that they do Thon so they get carte blanche for the rest of their behavior is annoying. But even when everything negative is taken into consideration, Thon really does a lot of good for a lot of people.

I felt that way until I had an eerie experience during Thon weekend. When Thon would crop up in conversation I made the arguments you've just read. I've had this conversation every year for the last three years. This year however, I am a columnist. The question of whether or not I should write about it kept popping up. Family members, alumni, students, co-workers all gave the same reply, nearly word for word: "I think you're right, but you shouldn't write it because you'll just make people mad and get yourself in trouble."

The problem is that there is a reason to write this column -- poor publicity hurts Thon.

I've known so many people who take Thon seriously and do it for all the right reasons. It's a shame that their efforts are tarnished by the people who go to Thon for the spectacle or to make themselves look good. When the greek community uses Thon as a shield for its other indiscretions, they alienate non-greek students. Participants who brag about their accomplishments discourage students who want to help for the right reasons. Thon has been breaking its own records for many years now. I'd hate for the anti-Thon sentiment I see bubbling under the surface to slow or even reverse this trend. The work is just too important.

As Thon 2006 wraps up and we began looking to Thon 2007, organizers should keep the public eye in mind. They'll find that more people will reach out to Thon if they let its work and actions speak for themselves.

If Thon added just a little humility to all its hard work you'd find that there isn't a student on this campus who wouldn't lend a hand. From there the only hurdle left is where to find enough room for everyone because not even the Bryce Jordan Center would be enough.