We have 9,563,016.09 more reasons to smile. Wow. It’s still sinking in.
THON 2011 happened in a flash and the hard work that all of the THON volunteers put in this past year has really paid off.
I guess we can start with last week leading into THON…that seems like a lifetime ago! Well Wednesday night I COULD NOT SLEEP…I was so excited for THON that my mind was a-racing. But don’t worry, I finally got some beauty sleep.
Thursday I packed up everything that I would need for the weekend as I was going to be moving into the BJC at 7 am Friday morning. I packed my bag, some snacks and my pillow and I was set to go. I tried to get to bed at a decent hour Thursday night because I had my alarm set for 5:50 am. I thought I would have trouble waking up at that hour, but as soon as my alarm went off I popped right out of bed. I was so excited…THON was finally here.
My roommate was kind enough to drive me and a few of my fellow Co-Captains up to the BJC before the sun had even come up. We had our first Captain meeting once we got there and then we got to work. We had to help transform the BJC into that magical place known as THON.
We loaded and set up cots for the sleep-shift rooms. Captains get two four hour sleep shifts throughout the weekend and but we also were in charge of setting these rooms up. It was so cool to see the BJC transforming throughout the day and to see the behind the scenes efforts of all the volunteers.
My committee members arrived at the BJC at 8 a.m. to decorate their information booth. As Communications Committee Members, one of their responsibilities is to work the THON Information Booths. This requires them to be knowledgeable about all things THON and about the set up of the BJC. To make each booth more fun, the Committee members get to pick a theme and decorate the booth. The theme for out booth was “Video Games”…it looked amazing! Who doesn’t love a good Pac-man? Once the booth was done the committee members were free to go until the Human Tunnel.
What is a Human Tunnel you may ask? Well, all of the Committees line the path from the Multi-sports Complex (where the Dancers meet pre-THON) to the BJC. Everyone cheers on the dancers as they work their way to the BJC where they will soon be standing without sleep for 46 straight hours. Communications was the first group on the course and my Committee was so excited for THON to start.
Dancers stood at 6 p.m. and the excitement in the air was contagious. Little kids were running around with squirt guns, coloring books and some great music…THON was officially underway. The place was packed and already bumping with energy. My committee had four shifts throughout the weekend and they were prompt and on time to all of them. I have never been more proud than I was this weekend after seeing my committee truly enjoy the essence of THON. During every shift, they get floor time where they had the chance to dance, play with kids, and visit their friends who were dancing. They got to interact with some of the children and got in some serious water gun fights, which they lost of course.
One of my favorite parts of THON is looking down into the sea of colored t-shirts on floor. These shirts are the colors of all the 14 different Committees that help to make THON happen. Each of these Committees is so important and vital to the success of THON. Everybody involved in THON makes it what it is and we are all bonded by a common cause. In the words of JoePa…”When they say We Are Penn State…this is what they are talking about.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I can’t believe that THON has come and gone in a blink of an eye. I am so excited to see what THON 2012 will bring. We will not stop until the day that we can dance in celebration. My Captain from last year sent me an email this Tuesday, after THON was over, in which he said that THON is not just an opportunity to receive something, but an opportunity to give something. I will take all that I have received from THON with me for the rest of my life.
“When you bring together good people for a common cause, there really are no limits.”
-Together Without Limits 2011
For The Kids, For The Future,
Marlee