Love is in a smile. Love is in a tear. Love Belongs Here.
These sentences representing the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon 2010 theme appeared in a video leading up to a countdown to the anticipated reveal of the official Thon 2010 logo at the annual Thon Family Carnival.
The logo -- which portrays a child holding up his thumbs and index fingers in the shape of a diamond, his arms forming a heart -- was shown for the first time to an audience of Thon overall chairs, committee captains, organization representatives and 87 Four Diamonds families.
Performances by the Penn State Blue Band, singing groups and dancing groups preceded the reveal and the attendees erupted into singing and dancing following the logo's unveiling.
Lindsay Stork (senior-graphic design) designed the new logo. She said the task was given to 16 graphic designers as a competition.
She said she wanted to represent this year's theme subtly in the design.
"When you think of love you think of hearts," she said. "But I didn't want to overstate it, which is why I put it in the larger shape."
Lottie Rummel (junior-public relations), a donor relations captain, said she likes the new logo.
"I think it's very subtle but very powerful at the same time," she said.
The reveal came at the end of the Thon Family Carnival, a day of games and crafts in the White Building for Four Diamonds families. This year's theme was Thon Around the World.
The children received passports and had them stamped as they "traveled" to different countries, decorating cookies and rolling play-dough sushi.
Renata Negley, a five-year-old Leukemia patient, said her favorite part was playing and making a necklace.
Elyse Adams, public relations overall chairwoman, said the carnival comes at an ideal time of year for students who are bogged down with work.
"A lot of students are really busy at this time and this is a great way to inspire them to keep working," she said.
Adams (senior-bioengineering and mechanical engineering) said the carnival was a first taste of Thon for many new Four Diamonds families.
"It's a way to see what's coming," she said. "It's neat to see their faces."
Joey Schweighardt (senior-psychology), a member of the Campus Crusade for Christ Thon organization, said his favorite part of the carnival was playing with the organization's Four Diamonds child Aubrey.
"She's kind of a crazy girl," he said. "We've been running around and playing games. She's a blast to be around, there's so much joy and happiness."
A four-year-old girl in remission from Leukemia for over two years, Aubrey is participating in Thon for the third time, her mother Kim Pace said.
