Penn State THON Events Add to Football Weekend

Events that highlight the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon are set for this weekend at University Park.

To start, this week’s TailGreat party, the pre-football-game gathering held at the Bryce Jordan Center, will feature booths from THON organizations; Four Diamonds children who benefit from THON; the THON Overall Committee; and the Lionettes, who will wear gold ribbons on their uniforms to support THON.

Mac Kretz, 14, of Gettysburg, a THON child whose cancer is now in remission, will be the honorary drum major at TailGreat and will lead the Blue Band as it marches from the Jordan Center to Beaver Stadium, according to a news release. During the football game’s halftime show, the THON Overall Committee and some THON children will share the organization’s 2011 theme during a special presentation.

Doors for the TailGreat party, which is free and open to the public, will open at noon; the event there will begin at 12:30 p.m. The football game at Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lions will take on the Northwestern Wildcats, will kick off at 3:30 p.m.

Then, on Sunday, THON families, children and captains will assemble at the White Building for the 13th annual THON Family Carnival.

The event theme there will be ‘Once Upon a THON.’ The carnival, scheduled to start at noon, will include booths meant to represent famous childhood books, and each one will have a different activity or game centered on its book. Booths will be tailored to appeal to different age groups of THON children, according to a news release.

In addition, the 2011 THON logo will be revealed at the end of the carnival. It’s been designed to tie into the year’s theme. A merchandise sale — with merchandise featuring the logo — will be held, as well.

THON, which benefits pediatric-cancer patients and research, is a year-round effort that culminates each February in a 46-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon. It will be held on Feb. 18, 19 and 20, 2011, at the Jordan Center.

Related content

• The StateCollege.com THON page