Holding the letters high, left to right, Omar Elhasany, Alvin Chen, Paige Barlow, and My-Hoa Do, all Penn State York students, celebrate THON 2021 during the FInal Four event on campus Feb. 21. Under normal circumstances, students would hold the letters in the stands of the Bryce Jordan Center to encourage dancers during the 46-hour dance marathon.
Penn State THON 2021 has raised $10,638,078.62 for Four Diamonds at Penn State Children's Hospital and Penn State York Benefiting THON was proud to be a part of this unique event for 2021. The campus raised $4,239.39.
This year's event, Feb. 19-21, which featured the theme "Rise and Unify," took place using a virtual format to help safeguard the health and safety of all Four Diamonds families, participants, dancers, volunteers and spectators during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every dollar counts, and I am more than proud to be part of this amazing THON community that raised more than $10.6 million,” said Paige Barlow, Penn State York Benefiting THON chairperson who danced at THON 2020.
Barlow led the group throughout the pandemic with weekly Zoom meetings and fundraisers. Many fundraisers held in previous years, including York’s largest one, Poker with Jimmy, could not happen because of the pandemic.
The York THON group hosted a Final Four gathering for the campus community on Sunday, Feb. 21, to watch the final four hours of THON and celebrate families and the total. The event was held in the conference center on campus and attendees wore masks, social distanced, and followed all safety protocols for COVID-19.
Penn State York students held a Final Four event to watch the last few hours of the 46-houd dance marathon which features THON families and the reveal of the grand total. Students danced and celebrated as THON Weekend came to a close.
As the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, each year THON raises millions of dollars for Four Diamonds to fund pediatric cancer research and support children and families fighting childhood cancer.
A limited setup inside the Bryce Jordan Center included an "anchor desk" and stage for masked, physically distanced performances, allowing student production team 46Live to livestream THON Weekend.