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Thursday, February 23, 2012 By Manaswita Tappata
 This year, Penn State University's THON raised 10.6 million dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund. - Photo: AP Images
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“For the kids, we will fight, 12 hours – dance all night.” This was the chant heard around this time last year for Mini-THON. The Hershey High School Mini-THON is a 12-hour dance marathon held annually in the high school gym to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund.
The sole purpose of the fund is to help children battling cancer at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center by underwriting the cost of care not covered by insurance or other means. In the approximately 30 years of its existence, the Four Diamonds Fund has not turned down a single request.
The HHS Mini-THON aims to aid the Fund in its quest to fight pediatric cancer while having fun and staying up all night. The event is modeled after Penn State’s 46-hour THON. To keep participants awake, there are activities going on all night. HHS Mini-THON was the first Mini-THON ever started in 1994. Today, over 85 schools in the state hold their own versions of Mini-THON.
HHS’ 19th annual Mini-THON will take place on Friday, March 30 starting at 6 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. the next day. There will be music playing, live bands, lots of food and of course fun activities all throughout the night. To participate in the event, a minimum $50 donation is required.
This may sound like a lot of money for a high school student, but Junior Jessie Weber, Co-Chair of the Fundraising Committee, explained that the task of raising money is actually very simple. “People are surprisingly willing to help you out with these kinds of things if you explain what you’re doing. If they give you 5 dollars, and you ask 10 people, you already have enough money to get into Mini-THON,” she said.
Weber also added that they have some incentives for those who raise more money for the cause. “If you raise 100 dollars… you will get an all-access sports pass for next year.”
The committee has been hard at work fundraising for the event. They have also been trying to get the student body more aware and involved. From the Candy Gram Sale to restaurant fundraising nights, Mini-THON has been more prominent this year.
As the event approaches, Weber spoke of things to look forward to. “Leading up to Mini-THON [will be] something we’re going to call THON Thursdays. On THON Thursdays, if you’re wearing a t-shirt that has to do with Mini-THON or THON, you’re going to get a surprise walking through the hallways,” she said.
The committee has also decided on the theme of Candyland for this year’s Mini-THON. “It’s gonna be a blast with lots of ‘sweet’ activities! But more importantly, by supporting the cause, you are alleviating a huge burden on the children and families,” said Decorations Committee Co-Chair Senior Bri Daylor. The fundraising goal this year $34,000, which is double the amount of money raised last year.
So indeed, HHS will come together and fight for the kids at the 19th annual Mini-THON at the end of the month.
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