Saturday's rain could not wash out the feeling of hope among Penn State fans.

The Indiana football game was considered an important game for both the football team and for the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, which is 95 days away. For the first time, game day was christened a celebration of Thon, said Nathan Cecco, overall communications chairman.

In addition to receiving halftime recognition during the game, Thon was featured for the first time during the pre-game Tailgreat held in the Bryce Jordan Center.

Tailgreat, a pep-rally held two hours before each home game kickoff, started different on Saturday, as the Thon committee introduced the "Warriors" video for the first time. The video mimicked the football videos played during the games but focused on the children that act as the driving force for the event. The video was later played at the game during halftime.

A few Thon committee members demonstrated the 2008 line dance for the Tailgreat crowd, and children in attendance were able to color Four Diamonds Fund "Dollars for Diamonds" coloring pages that will be displayed during Thon, held Feb. 20 to 22, Cecco said.

Stephen and Meredith Kirby, of State College, went to Tailgreat to introduce their 5-year-old son, Max, to the Penn State Blue Band. Max, a Four Diamonds child sponsored by Sigma Kappa sorority and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, was asked to act as an honorary drum major for the day and march with the Blue Band.

Max Kirby was diagnosed with a stage four germ cell tumor in July 2005 and is currently in remission.

The Kirby family has been involved with Thon since 2006 and was approached by Katie Austin, family relations overall chairwoman, about Max's debut as drum major.

"We took him to the Blue Band Web site and thought, 'That would be so cool,' " Meredith Kirby said.

Rain, though, kept the Blue Band from the field during halftime.

However, Max Kirby marched with the Blue Band from the BJC to Beaver Stadium before the game.

As Penn State alumni, Meredith and Steve are hoping to keep the Penn State tradition alive with Max and his younger sister, Evelyn. They already have big plans in store for their son.

"I'm not sure that he'll want to be the drum major," Meredith Kirby said. "I think he may be the Nittany Lion."