The Bryce Jordan Center hosted a basketball game Saturday night, but it wasn't the Nittany Lions playing.

Thon kids piled on stage to shoot baskets before they received plastic bags full of letters, cards and presents from family members, friends and Thon committee members. The activity was part of Kids' Mail Call, an annual Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon event.

The theme of this year's Kids' Mail Call was the Disney movie High School Musical. The kids who went on stage received T-shirts with a postage stamp design on the back and the words, "We're all in this together. We make each other strong." Committee members donned similar shirts.

Each child was escorted on stage by a committee member and shot basketballs into a mini-hoop before getting their mail. If they missed the basket, a committee member would lift the child so they could slam-dunk the ball. The basketball game was part of Color Wars -- activities committee members compete in to earn points for their teams which are designated by colors.

"Going on stage was scary because so many people were looking at me," Nicole Geltz, 12, of Reading said. Among her cards was a letter from her "Nana."

When asked about another letter she received, Nicole said, "I know this person because she sent me mail."

Claire Brobson, 7, of Harrisburg experienced Thon for the first time and was one of the kids escorted to the stage.

"I felt kind of nervous on stage, but it was good," she said. "I've never been on stage by myself before."

Even though she didn't make a basket on stage, she didn't seem to mind; she said she prefers volleyball anyway.

"I'm not really a basketball person," she said.