Before speaking to the excited crowd on Saturday, Jay Paterno called up THON 2013 Overall Will Martin and presented him with one of his father’s ties.
When Paterno spoke last year, he carried a mug with him on stage that he said he took from the former site of Joe Paterno’s statue near Beaver Stadium, and now he keeps it on his desk at home.
On that mug were the names of some Penn State students involved in the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. Martin's was one of those names.
“You gave me something to remember dad by, so I’m going to give you something to remember him by,” Paterno said before presenting Martin with one of Joe Paterno’s ties.
“I know the statue’s gone, but this is a memory I will have forever because of Will, because of THON and because of what you guys do,” Paterno told the crowd.
When speaking about his family, Paterno said his father is with everyone at the BJC in heart and spirit.
“He is looking down and is so proud of what all of you have done and what all of you are going to do this weekend,” Paterno said.
Paterno called THON “the greatest event that happens on any college campus anywhere in the world.”
Although Penn State has been through its share of obstacles over the past two years, Paterno said it’s important for students to remember that an event like THON is what separates Penn State from any other school in America.
“Don’t you ever, ever back down from the name Penn State,” Paterno said. “All of you will leave college knowing you inspired tomorrow's miracles and saved lives. Nothing can erase the history you will make here this weekend.”
Paterno concluded his speech by saying that he is confident that THON can beat the $10.7 million raised during last year’s event.
“Eleven million is within reach, and you are going to get it done,” Paterno said.
Atlas THON family, the Smith's, have been busy this weekend, visiting their THON organization members and dancers and participating in this year's Four Diamonds Fashion Show.
Victoria Smith, 10, took the stage with Atlas members Harris Beck and Isabella Morana who were pushing her wheelchair. Smith sported a blue Penn State zip-up, pink shorts -- provided by Lion's Pride -- and multi-colored sparkly sneakers.
But as she waited in line for lunch with her mother, Stephanie, Victoria began to fall asleep in her chair.
Stephanie said the family has been having a good time visiting with Atlas alumni, their dancers and other committee members. They are looking forward to the total reveal tomorrow and will be happy with the total no matter the result, Stephanie said.
"Whether it's more than last year or not, it's just about seeing the accomplishment after everything the students have done," she said. "It's mind boggling to see so many people come together to achieve one common goal."
Hillel child Layn Burger, 7, of Lancaster, hugs the Nittany Lion after walking down the runway of the THON 2013 fashion show on Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center. This is Layn's seventh THON, and he has been off treatment for five years.Kelly Tunney/Collegian
Thousands of adoring fans. A runway all your own to show off your favorite fashions. Oh, and don't forget the Nittany Lion.
No, it's not Fashion Week. It's the annual Four Diamonds Fashion Show on the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon's diamond-shaped stage.
More than 50 Four Diamonds Fund children strutted their stuff in their favorite clothes to an audience with big applause at about noon Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
THON organization student volunteers, student announcers and a dancing Nittany Lion supported children, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, walking along the “red carpet.”
Club croquet Four Diamonds child Nick Fulton breezed across the stage confidently, ending his red carpet walk with a Heisman Trophy pose.
Atlas THON volunteers lifted Four Diamonds child Victoria Smith out of her wheelchair as she smiled to loud cheers.
“I don't know how she does it, but she really has the 'it' factor,” said Breean Gilbert, a student emcee.
The Four Diamonds children who took to the stage remained connected to THON in humorous ways, according to their short announced biographies. Carried on the shoulders of her THON organization, FOTO, 5-year-old Megan Eslinger lost her first tooth at this year's THON Family Carnival. Theta Chi Four Diamonds child AJ Bobby named his pet turtle (What else?) Penn State.
Physique Boutique and the Student Book Store provided clothing for children.
When first entering the Bryce Jordan Center, the immediate view is of the dancers on the floor and their supporters in the lower bowl.
But what visitors don’t always notice is the groups situated on the balcony level.
“The seats down there [lower bowl] are always crowded, and there's still a good view up here,” said Megan Hazard, who is here to support her friends dancing for the Club Swim team.
Although higher up, the dancers on the balcony feel just as involved as the other dancers.
“I don’t feel a difference being up here, as long as I’m with my group, and we contributed to THON and we’re still dancing and a part of THON," said Brittany Smith, who is part of the Penn State Filipino Association.
And some said there are even benefits to being on the balcony.
“We feel like there’s a little bit more room up here,” said Gamma Phi Beta Altoona Campus members Mallory Thomas and Jessica Tam. “Last year we were down there [lower bowl], but we’re still having fun up here.”
Tam and Thomas, who have been at the BJC since 12:30 this morning also said they still had energy left because they had just eaten.
“Energy wise, if the dancers down there can do it, I can do it. I’m not dancing for 46 hours, so I’m not going to act tired because I’m not doing what they’re doing, which is incredible,” Smith said.
Around 11:30 a.m., the floor at the Bryce Jordan Center reached capacity, resulting in the pass system not being able to admit more people.
The line for passes around the concourse of the BJC has paused until passes are brought back from the floor, Media Relations Captain Megan Renaut said.
Those waiting to go down to the floor have to wait for passes to expire or for someone to voluntary bring their pass back early, Renaut (sophomore-psychology) said.
The reason why the line isn't moving is because the floor has reached capacity, not because of a failure in the pass system's technology, Renaut added.
On the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center, Springfield dancer Caroline Hozza counts her fingers to guess how long she has been standing so far.
"I think I've been dancing about 17 hours," Hozza (junior-psychology and biology) said around 10:20 a.m.
Still going strong, Hozza said she's been using her committee to keep her motivated. Besides her voice wearing out from singing along, she said she feels "absolutely great."
On the floor, kids and dancers run around with water guns and beach balls, playing with dancers and Moralers. Staying active is the key to doing well, dancer Benjamin Kolmer said.
"I've really been spending time with friends and staying active," Kolmer (senior-recreation, parks and tourism management) said.
He also said that so far, he is feeling great. Kolmer is taking advantage of his Moraler to stay active, he said.
Dancers are still staying active, doing things like playing with THON children and singing along to the music.
Kolmer guessed the time was 10:30 a.m. around 10:15 a.m., since dancers aren't allowed to know what time it is.
Hozza said she looks up to her committee cheering her on in the stands. She also said she received a care package from them during the first mail call, and that she is motivated by her friends in the committee.
She said she is looking forward to seeing her THON family, who will be here today.
Kolmer also said he is looking forward to spending time with kids in attendance.
"The whole thing has just been pretty awesome," Kolmer said.
The local band My Hero Zero delivered a high energy, hour-long performance this morning at THON.
The audience danced and sang along to the whole performance, encouraged by lead singer, Jason Olcese, who interacted with the audience throughout.
The band opened with Taylor Swift's popular song "I Knew You Were Trouble." Later in the performance, the band played another Taylor Swift hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" which Olcese said was his favorite song from 2012.
The set included a variety of current pop hits with older favorites like "Shout," by the Isley Brothers; "Living on a Prayer," by Bon Jovi; and The Beatles' "Hey Jude." The band also threw in some popular Penn State football pump up songs like "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys and "I Would Walk 500 Miles" by The Proclaimers.
During "Shout," Olcese said to the audience, "I just want to say we're really proud of you guys and everything you've done this year."
For good measure, the band sprinkled some funk, Michael Jackson and rock into the mix.
They also played some favorite tunes to dance to, like "Cupid Shuffle," "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" and "Teach Me How to Dougie," which not only the people on the floor but the crowd in the stands participated in.
The band kept the audience singing and the energy up the whole hour and concluded with Jessie J's "Domino" and Katy Perry's "Firework".
"We love you, dance on," Olcese said as the band finished their set.
Katie Abriola (sophomore-biobehavioral health) was in morale support of Mike Cook (senior-biology), a dancer who is part of Club Croquet. Here, she fills up a water gun, gearing up for many battles with Cook.Chris Tutolo/Collegian
As day two of THON wears on, dancers, moralers and committee members have developed various ways of keeping themselves going through the day.
For one, almost none of them know what day it is, THON PR Committee member Samantha Tardif (junior-journalism) said.
“Dancers have their phones, but they usually set them to different time zones. Or sometimes morale will do it for them,” she said.
Tardif said that more entertainment would also come later in the day with an event called “Slides of Strength” designed to rejuvenate the dancers.
“They line the floor with powder, and the dancers slide down it so they can get off their feet for 10 seconds,” she said.
Individual dancer Emily Rankin (junior-accounting) had no trouble keeping herself occupied after packages arrived this morning.
“I got a lot of stuff because my mom made a Facebook page and all my mom’s friends sent me things,” she said. “We tried to enlist these two young children to take on the BJC with squirt guns with us, but they just got us, which was fun."
Rankin also said she had visitors all the time to spend time with on the floor, including members of her honors society, Phi Eta Sigma.
“Two of my friends were on the floor earlier. Everybody in my org got on. My family got on,” she said.
In between the chaos of the water gun fights, the ball-throwing, the playing and the dancing, THON children and their families take solace in the more mild-tempered family lounges behind the scenes.
THON provides two of these safe havens, with one family lounge in the South Annex and another upstairs in a quieter location, Family Relations Captain Lauren Hoyt (junior-public relations) said.
The South Annex, a large room decorated for the kids, is inaccessible to THON organization members to allow the kids and their families to take a break from the water fights, the games and the running around on the floor, she said.
"A lot of them are still in treatment and just want a break," Hoyt said.
The room is broken down into separate areas for different age groups and holds various activities throughout the day. In the teen-focused area, video games including a Wii are accessible to the kids. In other areas, kids can get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the new snack bar, play cards or kick back on the couches.
THON organizers even hold a parent information session for parents that wish to take a break and learn about THON, she said.
All different kinds of committee members work to make this lounge possible - from the hospitality committee providing food to the operations committee setting up the decorations and various stations, she said. Rules and regulations committee members also fill the room to make sure the room is safe and the families have what they need.
In the upstairs family lounge, families have a place for an even calmer environment where they can get away from the chaos of the floor and the busy activities of the downstairs lounge, she said. In this lounge, THON organizers have made it more of a relaxing area with smaller toys for young children, she said.
Hoyt said families tend to go back and forth between the lounges and floor as their THON organizations and dancers will often "wear them down."
Another part of the family-oriented behind the scenes of THON is the Inspiration Wall, which includes pictures and information from many of the THON children. Hoyt said the family relations captains put the posters together with permission and help of the families, though not all families have their kids up there, she said.
Christina Hefferon and Lauren Riley, who tried to be independent dancers this year, were admiring the wall during their 12-hour visit to the floor this morning.
Hefferon (senior-biobehavioral health) said the wall is there to remind dancers why they're dancing - for the kids.
"It makes it more real," Riley (senior-finance) said.
The stands of the Bryce Jordan Center began to fill back up this morning for the second day of the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, indicated by risen signs and letters.
The signs and letters bobbed to the tune of songs performed by Gates Tomorrow, a Hershey-based band with guitarist and Four Diamonds Child Michael Broda, as previously reported.
Around the stands, fraternities and sororities are displaying their Greek letters, while commonwealth campuses like Altoona and Berks spell out their campus names. Also among the crowd is a variety of inflatable objects, such as beach balls, animals and other objects.
Signs with dancer faces are also being displayed, showing support for their dancers dancing below.
Playing different genres of music, Gates Tomorrow began their set with "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, and afterward gained a lot of crowd attention with their own version of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," by Whitney Houston.
Following, they played the Goo Goo Dolls Hit "Slide," another crowd favorite that dancers and people in the stands sang along to.
The crowd chanted along with the tune of "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes, which is a common chant at Penn State football games. Gates Tomorrow then quickly transitioned to "Sweet Child o Mine" by Guns N Roses. The crowd continued to sing along with the band.
The band ended their set with "Don't Stop Believin'," by Journey, and a word from Broda.
"As a four diamonds kid, I would just like to thank you guys," he said. "You guys are awesome."
