THON Kicks Off at PSU for It's 40th Anniversary
By: Jeff Preval
Updated: February 17, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, CENTRE COUNTY - THON preps are over as thousands have filled the Bryce Jordan Center for the 40th THON Weekend in history.
THON is the largest student-run philanthropic effort in the world and is all about trying to find a cure for cancer. THON Weekend is the time people from across the state and beyond anticipate all year. The 46-hour dance marathon got underway a few minutes before 6 p.m.
There are thousands of people who contribute to THON's success. Students, doctors and members of the community. Small efforts like one that's evolved from a partnership between THON and State College borough.
In two weeks, six parking meters will be installed in six downtown State College locations. Five THON families made the meters, which will obviously collect change, and the money will go to THON.
"It's really cool, because those kids are helping other kids who are fighting cancer," said Cat Powers, a Penn State THON spokesperson.
Charles DeBow is State College borough's parking manager and believes the meters are pieces of art.
"Typically what you would see out on the street when you put your quarters in a time will come up," DeBow explains as he demonstrates how the THON meters will work and look, "for this purpose we will take the people who painted the meter and put a name card there, so when the dome is put on when these are posted you'll see the name of the person who actually painted this meter."
One meter will be placed at Dix Honda in State College. Another meter will be placed outside the Corner Room on College Avenue. One will be placed near Sydney Friedman Park and there will be one at each of the downtown's three parking garages.
"We're going to place the ones in the parking garages right by the elevators in the hope that for the customers receive our famous gold coins, dollar coins that everybody loves, maybe they'll put them in the meters for THON," said DeBow.
A local auto body shop covered the meters with a protective coating so the paint won't run.
"We really want to preserve them so maybe down the road we can auction them off and people have approached us already saying that they're beautiful and they'd like to have one," said DeBow.
The parking department says on average a parking meter generates $1,500 dollars per year. So, about $9,000 could go to THON, just for paying for parking.
THON is the largest student-run philanthropic effort in the world and is all about trying to find a cure for cancer. THON Weekend is the time people from across the state and beyond anticipate all year. The 46-hour dance marathon got underway a few minutes before 6 p.m.
There are thousands of people who contribute to THON's success. Students, doctors and members of the community. Small efforts like one that's evolved from a partnership between THON and State College borough.
In two weeks, six parking meters will be installed in six downtown State College locations. Five THON families made the meters, which will obviously collect change, and the money will go to THON.
"It's really cool, because those kids are helping other kids who are fighting cancer," said Cat Powers, a Penn State THON spokesperson.
Charles DeBow is State College borough's parking manager and believes the meters are pieces of art.
"Typically what you would see out on the street when you put your quarters in a time will come up," DeBow explains as he demonstrates how the THON meters will work and look, "for this purpose we will take the people who painted the meter and put a name card there, so when the dome is put on when these are posted you'll see the name of the person who actually painted this meter."
One meter will be placed at Dix Honda in State College. Another meter will be placed outside the Corner Room on College Avenue. One will be placed near Sydney Friedman Park and there will be one at each of the downtown's three parking garages.
"We're going to place the ones in the parking garages right by the elevators in the hope that for the customers receive our famous gold coins, dollar coins that everybody loves, maybe they'll put them in the meters for THON," said DeBow.
A local auto body shop covered the meters with a protective coating so the paint won't run.
"We really want to preserve them so maybe down the road we can auction them off and people have approached us already saying that they're beautiful and they'd like to have one," said DeBow.
The parking department says on average a parking meter generates $1,500 dollars per year. So, about $9,000 could go to THON, just for paying for parking.
