How Special Interest Organizations Join in THON’s Fight
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Although THON is considered an IFC and Panhellenic event, it does not stop other organizations at Penn State from getting involved.
Jamie Fink is a senior at Penn State and joined Penn State’s women’s club soccer her sophomore year. This year, Fink is dancing for 46 hours to fight childhood cancer.
Club sports have faced many challenges this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and a big one has been having to do everything virtually. However, club soccer has not let that deter them from its fundraising efforts throughout the year.
“We’ve done a lot of THONvelopes, and we participate in all of the T-shirt fundraisers for 100 Days ‘Til THON,” Fink said.
They have also met with their THON family virtually for carnivals and donor drive pushes and said they “try to do all the things this year that were allowed.”
An important aspect of THON is getting to know THON families and building a relationship with them.
Club soccer’s child is a 9-year-old boy named Trey who has been in remission for five years now. He has two older siblings who are twins.
“Whenever we get the time to talk to them, they just have so much energy and have so much to talk about,” Fink said.
Fink’s cousin danced in THON a few years back and said his experience was one of the reasons she decided to dance in THON 2021.
“I dance so that no kid or family has to fight alone,” Fink said. “It’s 46 hours, and that pain doesn’t even compare to the pain that these families and these kids have to go through with treatment.”
Kiley Hill is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email kvh5552@gmail.com.
