Penn State athletic teams are supporting different events to raise money for the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, even as the winter sports season heats up.
While teams may work separately to fundraise on their own, most fundraise through the Student-Athlete Advisory Board , women’s track and field member Olivia Mangan (junior-psychology) said.
Later this month, SAAB is hosting the Mr. And Miss Student-Athlete Pageant, where four representatives from each sport participate in a pageant at the HUB-Robeson Center consisting of four categories: athletic wear, formal wear, a question-and-answer session and a talent portion.
Sue Sherburne, co-adviser for SAAB, assistant director/academic counselor, said tickets are five dollars for students, and all proceeds go to THON. The event takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and is one of the many fundraising events SAAB supports each year.
“We are definitely trying to raise as much money as we can,” Sherburne said. “THON is a great opportunity for student-athletes to be involved.”
Mangan said along with the pageant, SAAB also participated in events such as the THON 5K, as well as canning at Penn State sporting events.
Through the many events that SAAB and Penn State athletic teams run, the goal remains to stay involved and raise the most money possible for THON, women’s gymnastics team member Kassidy Stauder said.
“Although student-athletes have busy schedules, we also try our best to get involved and fundraise for THON as much as we can, and each year we try to raise our fundraising goal and the amount of involvement we have,” Stauder said.
Throughout the year, each team takes a turn making a basket for two THON families, Stauder said. SAAB has two THON families, with the new addition of the varsity hockey team, she said.
“It is extremely important for student athletes to get involved with fundraising because we are a large part of the population at Penn State,” Stauder (junior-childhood and early adolescent education) said.
Mangan said it is important for student-athletes to get involved in order to be role models for younger children. At THON weekend, there will be an athlete hour where kids can come down and meet Penn State athletes, Mangan said.
“We represent Penn State every weekend at our games, competitions and matches and THON is a major part of that,” Stauder said. “We go out there wearing blue and white, for the kids. ”
