Feb. 20, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 37th annual Penn State Dance Marathon kicked off Friday in the Bryce Jordan Center and numerous Nittany Lion student-athletes will be among the dancers and committee members helping to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. Known affectionately to Penn Staters as "THON," Dance Marathon is the culminating event to a year's worth of fundraising by Penn State students for pediatric cancer research and treatment at the Milton S. Hershey Center. THON has raised more then $52 million for the Four Diamonds Fund. In 2008, THON gathered record-breaking crowds and raised $6,615,318.04.
Members of Penn State's Student Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) have raised more than $150,000 over the past six years for the Four Diamonds Fund. Last year, the group raised more that $25,000 and is well on its way to breaking that mark this year after sending solicitation letters to friends and family, canning at various athletic events, and holding an online auction. SAAB also held the Mr. & Mrs. Student-Athlete Pageant, sold T-shirts and held a barbeque in the fall to benefit THON. Those wishing to help push SAAB's total higher and help a good cause by donating directly to THON can do so by going to www.thon.org www.thon.org and selecting SAAB as the organization whose name you'd like to donate under. SAAB's THON child is Isabella Messina, who they communicate with all year long.
Four student-athletes will represent SAAB as dancers including Alli Daus (Women's Soccer- Plano, Texas), Christine Dudak (Field Hockey- Harleysville, Pa.), Jen Long (Field Hockey- Doylestown, Pa.) and Katherine Murphy (Women's Golf, Portsmouth, R.I.). Additionally, four Lionettes will also participate at dancers: Jennifer DiNardo, Christina Liebert, Amanda Jo Cannilo, and Carolina Molloy. Dancers are not allowed to sit nor sleep during the 46-hour event that will be taking place in the Bryce Jordan Center. This year's THON began at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20 and ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21.
Several other student-athletes and Lionettes are also involved with THON as captains, who are in charge of committees integral to making both the lead-up to and THON weekend go off without a hitch. They are: Nicole Bautz (Lionettes- Merchandise), Caitlin Donnangelo (Lionettes- Special Events), Sydney Klein (Lionnettes- Morale), Margo Josephs (Women's Lacrosse, Communications- Reisterstown, Md.) and Alli Scola (Field Hockey, Finance- Hummelstown, Pa.).
In addition to the dances and captains, numerous other student-athletes both attend THON and participate in Student-Athlete Hour and a THON favorite, the Pep Rally. Members of the football team will also give tours of the Lasch Building in conjunction with THON on Saturday. SAAB's THON efforts this year were led by Josephs, Karie Haglund (Women's Swimming & Diving, Fundraising- Marietta, Ga.), Maria Valderas (Women's Lacrosse, Family Relations- Catonsville, Md.) and Ashley Berbick (Lionettes- Pep Rally & Athlete Hour).
Check back to www.GoPSUsports.com www.GoPSUsports.com for additional coverage of SAAB's participation in THON throughout the weekend.
Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) dancers are:
Alli Daus (Women's Soccer- Plano, Texas): Couple #32
Christine Dudek (Field Hockey- Harleysville, Pa.): Couple #32
Jen Long (Field Hockey- Doylestown, Pa.): Couple #33
Katherine Murphy (Women's Golf- Portsmouth, R.I.): Couple #33
Lionnette Dancers:
Jennifer DiNardo: Couple #56
Christina Liebert: Couple #56
Amanda Jo Cannilo: Couple #57
Carolina Molloy: Couple #57
THON Captains:
Nicole Bautz (Lionettes, Merchandise Captain)
Caitlin Donnangelo (Lionettes, Special Events Captain)
Sydney Klein (Lionettes, Morale Captain)
Margo Josephs (Women's Lacrosse, Communications Captain- Reisterstown, Md.)
Allison Scola (Field Hockey, Finance Captain- Hummelstown, Pa.)
SAAB THON Committee:
Margo Josephs (Women's Lacrosse, Communications- Reisterstown, Md.)
Karie Haglund (Women's Swimming & Diving, Fundraising- Marietta, Ga.)
Maria Valderas (Women's Lacrosse, Family Relations- Catonsville, Md.)
Ashley Berbick (Lionettes- Pep Rally & Athlete Hour)
--NITTANY LIONS--