THON 2014
Alumni Dancer Couple Packet
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
THON 2013 Alumni Dancer Couple Packet
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Introductory Letter from DMAIG
Important Dates, Rules and Regulations
Important Contacts and Resources
DMAIG Fundraising Guidelines
Dancer Couple Mailing Letter Template 1
Dancer Couple Mailing Letter Template 2
Creative Fundraising Ideas
Spare Change Wrapper
Donation Checklist for Submittal to the THON Communications Overall
Frequently Asked Questions
Inspirational Stories to Keep You Motivated
Previous THON DMAIG Dancers
The Mission of the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
DMAIG promises to promote a continuing relationship between students and alumni who care about THON™ by providing
opportunities for alumni to give time, money and resources to aid The Four Diamonds Funds in the conquering of
childhood cancer.
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
A LETTER FROM DMAIG
To our prospective dancers:
Thank you for your interest in continuing the battle against pediatric cancer and supporting THON and the Four
Diamonds Fund as an alumnus. THON continues to grow every year in its outreach and awareness, the
students work harder and harder, and there’s never been a better time to get re-engaged. Last year, THON
raised over $12.37 million for the kids, bringing THON’s total contributions to The Four Diamonds Fund to more
than $101 million!
The opportunity to represent DMAIG in THON as a dancer is truly a privilege that is only extended to few
alumni every year. Although, THON’s venue has changed over the years, the excitement on the floor and in
the stands hasn’t – it’s simply been amplified. We can’t even put in to words the excitement emanating
throughout the building during the last four hours on the floor at the BJC.
Having this opportunity to dance as an alumnus is not only a privilege, but it is also a sign of how loyal and
dedicated we are to the families of the Four Diamonds Fund after our years at Penn State. It is a challenging
task to fundraise, but with continued focus and effort, we can and will prevail. However many months or years
it has been since you have graduated, the message and goal remains the same: we fight "For The Kids," and
we won't stop until a cure for pediatric cancer is found.
Not only are you helping the kids and families, you are also contributing to the betterment of the THON
community. Your endeavors in association with DMAIG are also "For The Students," making you a role model
and inspiration for current undergrads to likewise follow their dreams. Whether this is your first time dancing or
reliving an amazing experience, fundraising gives you the chance to discover all of the changes that have been
made since you were a student, as well as allow you to be there for every moment of THON. Capture the
energy and passion of THON once again and dance as an alumnus. Don't waste one minute.
This document should serve as a helpful guide for you on your journey to raise money as an alumnus. We
provide a number of avenues to participate in activities benefitting THON throughout the year and are even
able to match you up with another alumnus if you are trying to raise funds on your own. DMAIG is always here
to help you along the way. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions.
We are looking forward to seeing you at THON 2014!
Always For the Kids!
Ashley Waters
DMAIG President
president@dmaig.org
Betsy Smith
DMAIG Special Projects
specialprojects@dmaig.org
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
IMPORTANT DATES, RULES AND REGULATIONS
I.
Dancing Logistics
a. Dancer Couple Slots
i.
The Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group has been awarded two dancer couple slots (a total of four
dancers) for THON 2014.
ii.
The two couples with the highest fundraising totals will be granted the opportunity to dance in THON
2014, which takes place on February 21-23, 2014.
iii.
The couple with the third highest fundraising total will be awarded two 46-hour floor passes.
iv.
Winning couples will be announced in time for Dancer Registration at Penn State.
v.
The money raised by those people not selected to dance will be donated to THON in the name of Dance
Marathon Alumni Interest Group.
b. Alumni Dancer Eligibility
i.
All competing DMAIG dancers must be alumni of the Pennsylvania State University.
ii.
All alumni must be registered members of the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group. Membership is
free and open to all Penn State alumni. Please visit the homepage for more information. www.dmaig.org
iii.
All alumni interested in fundraising and dancing in THON must send an e-mail to
specialprojects@dmaig.org before they begin fundraising to indicate their interest, or they must sign up
online through the DMAIG’s website at www.dmaig.org.
iv.
To have the opportunity to dance or to be eligible for the floor passes, alumni must raise at least $2,600
per couple.
v.
The Special Projects Officer will register the dancer couple online through THINK and send all information
to the dancer couple.
c. THON and DMAIG Communications
i.
A THON Communications Captain will be assigned to each competing alumni dancer couple as a liaison
between the THON office, DMAIG, and alumni. Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns to
your Captain and the DMAIG Alumni Dancer Coordinator.
II. Fundraising Logistics
a. Fundraising Window
i.
Fundraising cannot begin before September 27, 2013.
ii.
Fundraising must be completed and all donations must be received no later than January 17, 2014.
1. If donations are not received by January 17, 2014, they will not be credited towards your
fundraising efforts. Any donations received after January 17, 2013 will be counted as a
general donation to THON and will not be credited towards your total.
b. Canning and Student Involvement
i.
Penn State alumni are NOT allowed to participate in canister solicitation!
ii.
Current Penn State undergraduates are NOT allowed to actively fundraise towards alumni couples
fundraising total; however, undergraduates can make an individual donation towards an alumnus.
c. Canvassing
i.
Alumni Dancer Couples will be able to canvas using Solicitation Cards. Each couple will be allotted 100
Solicitation Cards for the fundraising season. Please contact specialprojects@dmaig.org to request them
and
arrange
to
pick
them
up.
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
d. Submitting Funds
i.
All checks can be made out to “Penn State Dance Marathon.” In the memo section of the check, please
write in “DMAIG - Dancer 1 name & Dancer 2 Name” (i.e., DMAIG - John Adams & Suzy Smith).
1. If a check is not clearly marked prior to submission, it cannot be changed. It is up to each
couple to make sure their donations are being marked accordingly.
ii.
All checks and money orders (please do not mail cash) can be sent to:
Penn State Dance Marathon
Attn: Alex Snopko, Finance Director
DMAIG
210 HUB
University Park, PA 16802
iii.
Make sure to include your name and contact info with the donations. Keep copies of the checks and
money orders for your records.
1. Please track checks and money orders by Donor Name, Check Date, Donor Address,
and Donation Amount. We will be unable to cross-reference records using any other
information. (Ex: Check number, account number, etc.)
iv.
You will only have access to your fundraising totals. At no point will you be able to receive information
regarding funds raised by other DMAIG Couples.
v.
To find out your most up-to-date total from your fundraising efforts, you can email treasurer@thon.org.
These totals can only be checked on a biweekly basis.
vi.
The Special Projects Officer will be sending out fundraising updates on a biweekly basis, dependent on
THINK access.
e. THONline (Online) Fundraising
i.
You will be able to fundraise online at https://secure.ddar.psu.edu/Thon/ - please be sure that your donors
select your couple name “DMAIG - Dancer 1 name & Dancer 2 Name” (i.e., DMAIG - John Adams & Suzy
Smith). You will not receive proper credit if the donation is not made in that way, and it cannot be
changed after the donation is made.
f. Alternative Fundraisers
i.
If you are interested in using a donation box at a local business, please first submit an “Alternative
Fundraiser Request” to the Special Projects Officer (Betsy Smith). As a new change this year, the Spcial
Projects Officer will have a THINK account in order to enter Alt Funds into THON’s internal database, and
the Rules & Regulations committee can approve or deny it.
ii.
All “Alternative Fundraiser Requests” must be submitted at least 16 days in advance of the event.
iii.
When submitting an “Alternative Fundraiser Request”, please include the following information:
 Name of Fundraiser
 Start Date
 End Date
 Type of Fundraiser (Dress Down Day, Raffle, Dinner, other)
 Location of Fundraiser
 Contact Information of Chair holding the event
 Will they be advertising the event?
 Will any time, space, or items be donated to hold the event?
o If a company is donating any money, time, space, or items for the fundraiser then the
couple must also submit a “New Company Contact Request” to your assigned
Communication Captain liaison
 Details of Fundraiser (this portion needs to be as detailed as possible so we know what exactly
the event will entail. The more descriptive it is the more likely it will be approved).
iv.
All alternative fundraisers must follow the DMAIG Fundraising Guidelines outlined on page 14 of this
packet
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
g. Business Donations and Company Contacts
i.
If you are going to receive donations from any business you must also submit a “New Company Contact
Request” to the Special Projects Officer to enter the request into THINK. This is so the Donor and Alumni
Relations Committee can approve it or deny it and send you THON's professional corporate packet of
information with THON's benefit structure. This also allows us to track our donors and make sure they
are thanked appropriately.
ii.
When submitting a New Company Contact Request, please include the following information:
 Company Name
 Type of Sponsor (Monetary or Other)
 Contact Name
 Title
 Address
 Phone Number/Extension
 Fax Number (if available)
 Email Address
h. Donor Receipts
i.
Official donor receipts will be issued from either the THON office or University Development after THON
2014 has ended for every gift that is $25 or greater. It is a good practice, though, to send out a quick
thank you note to anyone who has donated on your behalf.
III. Important Contacts and Resources
 THON Website : www.thon.org
 DMAIG Website : www.dmaig.org
 Four Diamonds Website: http://pennstatehershey.org/web/fourdiamonds/home
 DMAIG President: Ashley Waters president@dmaig.org
 DMAIG Special Projects Coordinator: Betsy Smith specialprojects@dmaig.org
 THON 2013 Communications Director: Kelly Tompeck communications@thon.org
 THON 2013 Donor & Alumni Relations Director: Dom Mirabile donor.alumni.relations@thon.org
 THON 2013 Communications Alumni Captains: Amanda Traczuk, amt5414@psu.edu, and Mikel Jones,
mdj5134@psu.edu.
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
DMAIG FUNDRAISING GUIDELINES*
Any and all fundraising events must be submitted to DMAIG Regional Events Coordinator, Fran Roach, at
regionalevents@dmaig.org no less than 16 DAYS before the event date. This Regional Events Form must also be filled
out in its entirety 16 days before the event. If you fail to submit the event within this window, it will be denied. A
description of the event including place, time, possible donations, and things needed from DMAIG should be outlined in
the request form submitted to DMAIG. ** These guidelines are subject to change and are at the discretion and final
approval of the DMAIG Board of Director’s Executive Committee. **
 The title of the event must be THON appropriate and cannot include THON in the name.
 The location of the fundraiser must be as specific as possible (i.e. name of building and address.)
 The contact person provided MUST be the a member of DMAIG helping to coordinate the event and they must
provide most up to date email address and phone number.
 The needs for DMAIG include any supplies needed from DMAIG (i.e. merchandise, soliciting contacts, or
advertisements using THON or DMAIG’s name)
 The Details of Fundraiser section needs to be as detailed as possible.
 A new company contact request must be sent to Donor Alumni Relations Captain, for every company contacted for
any type of donation (money, space, or time) for the fundraiser. This is in order to keep track of any companies that
donate to THON.
 All fundraisers must be safe and appropriate for all participants and spectators involved.
 Additionally, any promotions about the event cannot directly associate THON with alcohol or alcohol-related activities
in the name of the event. For example, if an event revolves around alcohol, do not advertise it as benefiting THON in
the title, but rather that proceeds are being donated to THON elsewhere on the promotional material.
 All press releases including fliers, pamphlets, interviews, or media promotion for a fundraiser benefiting THON should
be clear that the event is not being organized by THON. In the first mention, the event should be advertised with
proceeds being donated to THON, which benefits the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s
Hospital.
 All merchandise incorporating THON must be approved by the Merchandise Director, Tom Bremer,
(merchandise@thon.org) before production.
 Any event that you decide to hold as a fundraiser for your couple must be advertised as so, as to notify participants
that donations will be credited to your specific dancer couple. EX: “Basketball Fundraiser with proceeds credited to
John Smith & Jane Doe.” Events hosted by Alumni Chapters cannot credit their totals to specific alumni couples.
 Large fundraising events may credit their money to the couple if explicitly stated in the fundraiser description,
advertisements and materials. This excludes any large scale events hosted, planned or organized by any university
affiliate, such as galas, tournaments, etc. who may not credit their total to a specific couple.
****As a general rule, if a THON family would NOT be supportive of the event or wear the apparel you are
planning, please reconsider the fundraiser. ****
*
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
DONATION CHECKLIST








Register with the DMAIG Special Projects Coordinator
Collect checks, cash, and receipts and send them to the THON office
Make sure that in the Memo section of the check, you write DMAIG-Dancer 1 & Dancer 2
Checks must be received by 1/17/14
Send out Thank You notes to donors
Official donation letters will go out from the THON office
Fundraisers are not notified when a donor makes an online contribution through the THON website
Please make sure that online donors write in your name where appropriate
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon
Benefiting The Four Diamonds Fund, Conquering Childhood Cancer
Dear (Insert Family or Friends name here),
No one can prepare a parent for the words, “Your child has cancer.” Mike and Patty McCauley still struggle to say
these words about their son Lachlan. Luckily, the McCauley’s found the silver lining in one of the darkest times in their
lives – the Penn State Dance Marathon and The Four Diamonds Fund.
Every year, the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group (DMAIG) joins more than 350 Penn State student
organizations with one goal in mind - conquering childhood cancer. We are involved with the Penn State
IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, affectionately known as THON. THON is a yearlong fundraising effort that culminates
in February with a two day, no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon.
Last year, THON raised a record-breaking $10.68 million for children battling cancer. Now, it is your
opportunity to join the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group and help our efforts in supporting the fight. All of the
funds we raise benefit The Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.
THON’s mission is to conquer childhood cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the
children, families, researchers, and staff of The Four Diamonds Fund.
The Fund supports a team of pediatric oncology specialists and enables research through The Four Diamonds
Pediatric Cancer Research Institute. In addition, The Fund offsets the cost of treatment that insurance does not cover,
including travel, housing and food expenses.
The McCauley’s motto is BELIEVE. “This is about believing. Believing that you can change lives. Believing that being
involved can save someone’s life. Believing that if we come together in this fight, one day we will dance in celebration.”
You can give online at www.THON.org or with a check made payable to the Penn State Dance Marathon. Please be
sure to add my organization’s name and number, (DMAIG – Dancer 1 & Dancer 2), to the memo section of the
check. For your convenience, I have included a blue return envelope. Please return your gift by January 1, 2012, or as
soon as possible after that date. I cannot thank you enough for your support. Together, we will make a difference
in the lives of children like Lachlan, who is now cancer free!
Thank you for your support. Together, we will make a difference in the life of a child!
For The Kids,
P.S. You may be able to double or triple your impact through the support of your employer! Find out if your company
will match your gift at www.THON.org/matching.
210 Hetzel Union Building, University Park, PA 16802-6601
800.392.THON
www.THON.org
Dear ,
Hi! I hope this letter finds you doing well. Thanks to your help last year, the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON), was able to
smash all previous records and raise over $10.6 Million for Kids with Cancer. First off, to those who have donated before,
THANK YOU. To those who are receiving a letter from me for the first time, THANK YOU for taking the time to read about
THON.
THON was last February and it’s almost a new year, yet my love for THON and Penn State has only grown stronger. Many of you
know that I was very involved with THON as an undergrad at Penn State, holding various leadership positions within the
philanthropy.
Now, let’s talk a little bit about what THON is. THON is a 46-hour, no sitting-no sleeping, dance marathon to raise money for the
Four Diamonds Fund which supports children battling cancer. Since 1977, Penn State has raised over $101 Million – ALL FOR
THE KIDS. This amazing event is the largest student run philanthropy in the world, where more than 350 student organizations
together raise money to make a difference in the lives of the children through the Penn State Hershey Medical Center and the Four
Diamonds Fund. The primary purpose of the fund and of THON is to offer financial assistance to the children and their families.
The money that Penn State raises constitutes 85% of the Four Diamonds Fund’s annual budget which was basically established to
take any financial burden off of the shoulders of the Four Diamonds families so they can focus on their priority, and ours, the child’s
health.
You can personalize this part of the letter But the real thing that
separates THON from other charities
and philanthropies is
the opportunity we as students have to
form a friendship with
the families of the Four Diamonds Fund.
Ashley,
Tucker,
Trent, Will, Cole, and Tessa may
look like regular 5-7
year old kids. A few years ago they were
battling
different
cancers, undergoing treatments, spending
days at a time in the
hospital. I was with them. I was there to
talk to their parents
when they needed to vent, was there
going on a picnic with
them, and I was there when they started
to re-grow their hair.
The Four Diamonds Fund is based out of
the Hershey Medical
Center and it was nice to be able to go
back there and interact
with the kids as an undergraduate. I am
privileged to be a part
of THON to see first hand the impact this foundation has on the families, and that is why I continue to dedicate time, energy, and
money to this cause every year.
Penn State’s Dance Marathon is a year-long commitment and event that will culminate the weekend of February 21-23, 2014. Seven
Hundred lucky Penn Staters will dance their hearts out for all 46 hours. They are not allowed to sleep or sit. For this year, I, along
with another alumni and friend, are trying to raise the money necessary to earn 2 of the only 4 spots available to “Dance” in THON
as an alumnus. I’m competing against hundreds of other alumni.
Every penny that we raise makes a difference in the lives of these children who suffer from cancer. If you feel that you could make a
donation it will make a world of difference for the children and families of the Four Diamonds Fund. I encourage you to visit
www.THON.org for more information or contact me at the above e-mail or phone.
If you decide to help, please make all checks payable to Penn State Dance Marathon and mail them to my above address no
later than January 8, 2014; and the kids and ourselves thank you!
Now and Forever For the Kids,
Your Name
Address
CREATIVE FUNDRAISING IDEAS
Letter Writing Campaign – Consider writing to as many friends and family as you can use either the letters provided in
this packet or an original one that you create. Remember to enclose an envelope with a stamp if you want an increased
probability that you’ll get a letter back. Please remember to let donors know that their donation is tax deductible and that
they should be getting a letter from THON or University Development after Dance Marathon weekend is over with,
regardless as to whether or not your selected as a dancer.
Electronic Campaign – Utilize the THON website to direct donors to make online donations on your behalf. Consider
sending out e-mails with links to the online donation site and also use alternative resources like setting up a Facebook
page.
Corporate Matching Gifts – Your company may have a corporate matching gift program up to a certain amount. Also
consider asking your company to match the donations from fellow colleagues.
Upcoming Special Events – If your birthday or a holiday is coming up, ask for a donation to THON in lieu of a gift.
Selling Items at a Garage Sale or on EBAY – If you have items that are just collecting dust around your house, consider
selling a few on EBAY and donating the proceeds to THON.
Dine & Donate - Contact a local restaurant that you frequent with your family. Ask if they will designate a night throughout
the week or weekend that will have 10% of proceeds benefit THON.
Extra Change – Create a change bucket (consider using a can or Mason jar) for your office place with a label on the side
that explains what you’re raising funds for. Consider doing the same with local businesses and Laundromats after you’ve
received permission from the owner of the business.
Car Wash - Contact your local fire company or school for a venue.
T-Shirt Day at Work – Have a local vendor print t-shirt with your name and cause on it. Sell them at work for an amount
above what you paid and encourage the management to allow all the employees who purchase the shirt to wear it on a
certain day.
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
SPARE CHANGE WRAPPER
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I would like the opportunity to dance this year, but I am in need of a partner. Do you match up alumni looking for
partners?
Yes. Please let the Special Projects Coordinator know as soon as you start fundraising that you would like to be paired
with a partner to raise funds. The DMAIG will do everything possible to ensure that you are assigned a partner near your
graduation year and physical location. The DMAIG makes no guarantee that the assigned partners will raise funds or
actively participate. If there are any concerns, you should inform the DMAIG Dancer Couple Coordinator immediately.
Will my friends and family be able to visit me on the floor if I am selected to dance?
Yes. There are several hours throughout the course of THON that family and friends can visit with the dancers on the
floor. You must submit their names prior to THON weekend. Once dancers are selected, the DMAIG Special Projects
Coordinator will be in touch to see who you would like to add. Please be aware that we have a limited number of floor
passes and there will be three other dancers on the floor whose friends and family would like to utilize the passes.
Will I have the opportunity to meet the other alumni couple before we dance?
Yes. You will be notified as soon you are selected and confirmed of who the other dancers are. Hopefully you will have a
chance to meet them before THON, possibly by going out to grab lunch or dinner the Friday of THON or when you arrive
in State College.
Will I be assigned a moraler to help me out?
Yes. An undergraduate moraler will be selected to help keep you motivated throughout the weekend. They are a great
source of inspiration and some of the best and most energetic moralers are assigned to specifically help out the alumni
dancer couples.
Does the DMAIG provide a hotel room/housing during and after THON weekend?
No. Unfortunately, the DMAIG does not presently have the resources to secure housing for the dancer couple. The best
idea is generally to arrive in State College at a hotel room on the Thursday before THON and rent it out for both Thursday
evening and Friday, so that you do not have to check out mid-day Friday and can relax and sleep right up until THON
begins. Securing a hotel room for when THON is over on Sunday evening is helpful. Also, make sure to have
transportation lined up when leaving the BJC. Although you can drive to the event and park in the parking lot, it’s not
recommended for you to drive to a hotel by yourself.
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
INSPIRATIONAL STORIES TO KEEP YOU MOTIVATED
The Setlock Family
Watch the Setlock's Discovering Diamonds story here.
Joey was an active six year old boy that loved Tae Kwon Do and his little brother Mike. After what seemed to be a
lingering flu, Joey was taken to the emergency room for tests. The doctors diagnosed Joey with a ruptured appendix and
surgery was scheduled.
Joey’s appendix was never removed. The surgery ended abruptly. The Doctor immediately went to find Joey’s parents,
Kathy and Stan. In one moment, with one sentence the Setlocks’ lives changed forever. The doctor reported, “Joey’s
appendix is fine, but he has cancer.”
A tumor the size of a man’s fist was wrapped around Joey’s bowels, there were tumors in his kidneys, and about 50% of
his bone marrow was infected. He was diagnosed with Burkitt ’s lymphoma, a rare and fast moving cancer. Joey needed
to begin treatment immediately. No choice, no control. Joey would need to go through months of intense chemotherapy
to have a chance at conquering this cancer.
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
A simple trip to the doctor turned into a battle with cancer.
The Setlocks camped out at the hospital for the next 90 days while Joey went through chemotherapy, spinal taps, bone
marrow taps, IV feedings, transfusions, and injections.
The intensive treatment didn’t just take a tremendous toll on Joey; the whole family suffered. In particular, it was very
hard for Joey’s little brother Mike. Kathy would often have two crying boys, one who didn’t want to go back to the hospital
and the other desperate for his brother to stay at home.
When Kathy reflects on this difficult time, she said, “We never felt alone, THON and The Four Diamonds Fund were
always there to support us!”
“While the ugly book of cancer had us as main characters, we were being added to
another book and that was the book of THON. A whole new and wonderful world
was opened to us when we attended our first THON Weekend. You can’t describe
the event – you have to experience it.”
The Setlock family is proud to report that Joey has won his battle with cancer!
For the Setlock family, cancer is a thing of the past. Joey is a 4th grader who loves
to talk about his future dreams. As Kathy put it, “Battling childhood cancer is
challenging. THON and The Four Diamonds Fund’s services not only make the
journey easier, but also make future dreams possible.”
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
The Hill Family
“The diagnosis was Lymphoblastic Lymphoma—cancer. The day after our
daughter Madison was admitted for treatment, our social worker asked us if
we had heard of The Four Diamonds Fund. She told us that because of The
Four Diamonds Fund we didn't need to worry about medical bills; we only
needed to concentrate on getting Madison well again. It was at this time that
I realized the money paying for our daughter’s treatment had been raised by
the Penn State students we had seen canning in the streets. It made me cry.
Little did we know that even though our lives had changed because of
something terrible, we were also about to be blessed with some incredible
moments and experiences.
When THON Weekend arrived in February, we experienced a weekend we
will never forget. It was a time that allowed us to forget the real world and
cancer. Madison and our son Travis had an amazing time. It is hard to
imagine the impact that cancer has on your life when you see the 700
dancers and countless volunteers who had taken time out of their busy
schedules to help children and families that they didn't even know. My kids
really look up to these students, and are even inspired to someday
attend Penn State so that they too can be involved with THON.
We are very fortunate to have something like this in place. THON and The Four Diamonds Fund will always be a part of
our lives. We look forward to the privilege of attending THON for many years to come. From our family, thank you THON
and The Four Diamonds Fund!!”
Dawn Hill, Four Diamonds mother of Madison (age 10)
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org
PREVIOUS DMAIG THON DANCERS
2008
Gary Ramsey
Conor Moran
Katie Troskosky
Dan Corrado
2009
Ian Rickenbach
Beth Hahn
Sean Shapiro
Dan Cocco
2010
Diana Hirsch
Candace Brown
Jaymelee Dorley
Lauren Rubenstein
2011
Kaitlin Reinert
Madeline Dunlap
Rosalie Smith
Kristen Heard
2012
Caity Rogowski
Jaci Mayer
Max Thompson
Christopher Barrella
2013
Stacey Forbes
Jeff Kriscuinas
Brandon Dalton
Trevin Dear
Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group
PO Box 924
State College, PA 16804
dmaig.org