It isn’t every day, or every school event, where you get to see your peers in speedos, showcasing their singing skills, or their lip-sync talents.
You saw this all, and more, however, on April 14 at the second annual Haven Heartthrob, an event that raised money to support MiniThon in their fight against childhood cancer.
English teacher Ms. Reagan Lattari, an advisor for MiniThon, wants the community to remember what the event is really about.
“We always want to be stressing that, as fun as this is,it is all to raise money for the children who are suffering from cancer,” she said.
The leaders of the club stress a similar sentiment.
“Every dollar you donate to MiniThon is used to help better the lives of the children and families affected by cancer,” co-president Meredith Seidman said.
Combined from this year and the last, the club has raised over seventeen thousand dollars for Four Diamonds, an organization whose mission is “to conquer childhood cancer by assisting children and their families through superior care, comprehensive support, and innovative research,” according to its website.
This year, there were ten contestants vying for the title of Haven’s Heartthrob in a Miss USA-like pageant.
Contestants were judged in talent and Q&A portions on the day of the event, but, in preparation, each contestant had to raise 50 dollars. The extra money that they raised contributed to their overall score.
Audience members could weigh in. During the talent portion, MiniThon members raced up the stairs of the auditorium collecting tickets that audience members received upon entry which, ultimately, contributed to an act’s final score.
The winner of this year’s competition was senior Colin McLaughlin, who showcased his lip sync skills when he performed a mash-up of “Singing in the Rain” by Gene Kelly and “Umbrella” by Rihanna.
The event raised $3,236, bringing Mini-THON’s total amount of fundraising this year to $15,374.74, and surpassing their $15,000 goal.
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CORRECTION: The spelling of Meredith Seidman’s name was incorrect in the May print issue. We regret the error.
