Correction appended
This weekend, the Penn State community will find something within itself: Hope.
Today marks the beginning of the 35th Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, and the theme of this year's Thon is "Hope Finds a Way."
Students, alumni and families will come together at the Bryce Jordan Center for a 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund, which allots money to families with children battling cancer. Last year Thon raised a record total of $5.2 million, breaking the 2006 record by more than $1 million.
Doors open at 4 tonight. There will be a pre-Thon show at 5:30, and the marathon will begin at 6 p.m. Thon will end at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Visitors to the event this weekend can expect some changes from last year, which was the first time the event was held in the BJC.
"There were a lot of behind-the-scenes changes that people may not see but they will benefit from," said Dan Cocco (senior-public relations), overall chairman, mentioning the new PASS system, which enables students to swipe their ID+ cards to gain access to the floor, as well as updated stage technology.
Among the visible changes this year will be more entertainment for the dancers on the floor, said entertainment chairman Ian Rickenbach (senior-chemical engineering) said. There will be performances and lessons by the juggling club, magic club and Blue Sapphire PJ Maierhofer, he said.
Saturday night's pep rally is also sporting a new look. Committee members hope to "white out" the BJC for the event and will have a blue "diamond zone" in the stands.
"It will help get the dancers extra excited for this year's pep rally," Rickenbach said. "We're really excited this year because we think it's going to be completely different from years past."
Thon's Raise the Curtain tradition, which was started last year, will continue this weekend. Raise the Curtain is an initiative to fill the lower seats of the BJC, so the curtain surrounding the upper level seats will have to be raised to accommodate more spectators.
For the spectators that will fill those seats, Mike Petrasek (senior-journalism), the overall public relations chairman, has some advice.
"If [students are] trying to get on the floor ... get there early because sometimes the floor does close even if they have a pass," Petrasek said. "Obviously, there's no sitting for dancers, so we like to tell spectators not to sit ... and alcohol is extremely prohibited Thon weekend."
Cocco wants students remember that Thon is "for the kids."
"Keep in mind that Thon at all times is a kid-friendly environment ... as long as it is friendly then members of the Four Diamonds Fund will look forward to making Thon their home," Cocco said.
Petrasek suggests all students visit Thon at some point before it ends on Sunday.
"We really encourage all students to come out," Petrasek said. "It's one of Penn State's greatest traditions, and it should be on the list of things to do before you graduate, even if you only come for five minutes."
This article incorrectly states the anniversary of the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. This is the 36th annual event.
