With the help of teachers and peers, juniors Hope Graham and Lilian Liu have founded what they call “Mini-Thon,” a smaller version of the nationwide “THON” fundraiser. THON is a dance marathon designed to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer with the hopes of one day finding a cure. Next fall, students at Strath Haven High School will be able to participate in this event in a day of dancing and other fun activities. But even before the event, there will be numerous fundraisers. The best way to help is to attend, spread the word, and get involved.
Founded in 1973 at Penn State, THON is an exclusively student-run foundation that has collected over $157,000,000 and helped 4,000 families nationwide. THON is notorious for its 46-hour dance marathon, although the dance at Strath Haven will likely be around 4 hours. Apart from raising money, the goal of mini-THON is to bring people of all different backgrounds together for a common cause, creating a strong support system for those who need it.
In fact, according to junior Sophie Kujawski, Strath Haven isn’t the only high school to host a THON dance. Numerous other schools in the area host it as well, which is part of what makes the event so special. “It’s kind of like a comradery, you know?” Kujawski said. Communicating with other schools, club members are able to draw and contribute ideas with other students arranging THON dances. This sense of community is not lost on junior Lillian Liu, who says that THON is supposed to be about “reaching out to the community.”
So what can the community do? Kujawski stresses that the most important thing is spreading the word. Tell friends, family, neighbors, everyone about the club and its fundraisers to increase attendance and awareness. Apart from reaching out to the other schools, the club has also hosted a Flower Gram fundraiser. More events are coming up, like a potential Movie Night or Coffee Cart, so be sure to keep an eye out for announcements.
To learn more, stop by during a club meeting, the next one being Wednesday, January 30th, 5th block in 208. You can also follow the club on Instagram (@shminithon) and join the club Slack (shminithon.slack.com) for updates.
