A "Welcome to Paternoville" banner, adorned with the image of thick glasses and dark hair of Joe Paterno, will be auctioned off for the second year with all proceeds benefiting the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

For the next two weeks, people can bid on the banner, painted by Brian Egee (senior-fine arts), online through the Penn State Football Auction at www.gopsf.com. As of yesterday afternoon, six people had bid on the banner, and it was priced at $505, not including a $30.30 state tax and $8.95 shipping fee.

Egee specializes in drawing portraits and was asked by Thon overall Mike Funk this year to paint the banner. Funk said he saw some of Egee's other work and viewed this as a way for Egee to get involved with Thon.

"The banner looks great," Funk said. "I was really impressed. The work he's done on Paterno's picture is incredible."

During the Oct. 14 football game against Michigan, Egee's canvas banner hung on the southeast corner of the field by the student section. Twice, television cameras showed the banner while panning the audience.

Egee said he accepted the project because he wanted to celebrate the 79-year-old Italian coach with rolled up pant legs.

"I wanted to pay tribute to the student spirit of Penn State football and to Joe Paterno," he said. "He's been here a long time and done some great things. Plus, I like the idea of Paternoville."

Last year, football fans scrawled "Paternoville" and the Nittany Lion logo on a white bed sheet with blue paint. For a day, the banner went missing and was returned with signatures by Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier and some of the football players.

This year, Egee painted a 90-square-foot canvas banner and spent about 15 hours over three days using acrylic and latex paints to outline Paterno's portrait. He said this year's banner looks better.

"It's a lot bigger," he said. "I spent a lot more time laying it out, too."

After the Michigan game, Joe Paterno and all members of the Penn State football team, including Tony Hunt and Anthony Morelli, signed the banner around the words "Welcome to Paternoville."

Last year, the Paternoville banner received 129 bids in an online auction and sold for $2,550, which was also donated to Thon. Funk said people can access links to the auction on the Thon Web site, www.thon.org.

Guido D'Elia, director of branding and communications, said he got the banner signed by the team to help raise money for Thon.

"It'll make a nice gift for someone," he said. "But it's so big. It'll have to be someone with a really big bar."