THON on: An inside view of Special Interest Orgs

The 100 days till THON mark is fast approaching and Penn State is growing more and more excited for the beginning of THON. Many of THON’s special interest organizations are gearing up with more and more fundraising activities in preparation for the 46-hour dance marathon that is fast approaching.

The Tab sat down with some members from Ohana, Atlas and Springfield to get a sense of each special interest organization.

Amber Kloper, Executive Chair of Ohana

When did you join Ohana? What sparked your interest in joining a special interest THON organization?

I joined Ohana my first week here at Penn State as a freshman. My friend was really interested in joining and put my name on the list as well. I fell completely in love with the feeling that every single person in that one room out of 40,000 students on campus was united for the best cause I could possibly think of — I think that’s something our org offers that really makes us stand out from the rest.

What else do you think distinguishes Ohana from the other THON special interest organizations? 

“Ohana” means “family” in Hawaiian (catch the Lilo & Stitch reference?) and that’s really what we pride ourselves on. It was founded way back when in 2008 by Mike, who wanted a special interest org that wasn’t *all about* raising the most money — he wanted an organization that would create a family out of these Penn Staters and put the “fun” into “fundraising” and volunteering in the best way possible. We split our 400ish members into what we call “families” and it’s a better way for our members to get to know each without feeling overwhelmed by the large amount of people in Ohana.

We focus on fundraising throughout the year, of course, but what we primarily focus on is the enjoyment of our members, our retainment, and most importantly the relationships we all have with our three Four Diamonds families. I think that’s what’s brought us so much success in the past — we’ve raised well over $1 million for THON since we’ve been founded!

Why do you THON?

What a question — why do I THON? Simply, I THON for everyone other than myself. For my baby brother who was born and diagnosed with neuroblastoma all in the same day in 2001, for my aunt who was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer just last year, for Bekah Tuckey (H.E.A.L.’s Four Diamonds family) who went into remission and relapsed from Leukemia, for Brittany Wagner (Club Water Polo’s Four Diamonds family) who inspired me to donate my hair on-stage during THON Weekend 2014, for all three of Ohana’s amazing Four Diamonds families — the Goods, Wilsons and Dawsons, for every single one of the best friends I’ve ever had that I’ve met because of this amazing organization, for the love of my life who was the president of Ohana just a few years before me, for all of those I haven’t met yet… the list is never ending, and it will never end until we find a cure and dance in celebration.

What is your favorite Ohana memory?

My favorite Ohana memory has to be receiving our pairing with the Dawsons — we had the Brixius family previously and they were finished with their THON journey and ready to take on their next adventure. When initial calls went out, we didn’t receive one and were heartbroken, but later when we heard that we got paired, everyone was crying happy tears and hugging and celebrating and it’s honestly just one of those moments that I’ll never forget.

Have you been on the floor during THON/ will you try to dance this year? 

I have been on the floor during the Final Four hours of THON Weekend the past two years — I gave up my floor pass freshman year to allow some of the family members of our dancers go on instead. There is no better experience of THON Weekend than being on the floor in the moment surrounded by a whirlwind of passionate people who are all there for the same purpose you are.

What is your favorite canning memory? 

My favorite canning memory has to be my first canning trip in 2012 because I got to meet the Wilsons. Being able to meet our Four Diamonds families in person is somewhat of a challenge because they live far away and are usually kept busy, so this was a really great experience. I got to talk to Michele (Ty’s mom) a lot about my brother, joked around with Ty while he danced around in his craziest THON gear, and met Al (Ty’s dad) who later thanked me for an amazing weekend. Of all 10 canning weekends I’ve been on, this will forever be my favorite.

Joshua Bram, Springfield Executive Chair

When did you join Springfield? What sparked your interest in joining a special interest THON organization?

Growing up in State College, I knew that THON was something I wanted to get involved with as a Penn State student. I had looked up to dozens of amazing student leaders over the years, and I simply wanted the opportunity to give back. However, I knew that I could perhaps make a bigger difference financially and emotionally while finding a family for my college career by joining a special interest organization. I found Springfield at the involvement fair and immediately fell in love with the passion, dedication, and quirkiness of the group. I meshed incredibly well with the personalities of everyone involved and I still feel today that it was the best decision of my college career!

What distinguishes Springfield from the other THON special interest organizations?

One of the greatest things about Springfield is the passion and drive our members possess. From day one, we show new members that caring about THON’s mission is paramount and we encourage our members to find reasons why they THON. We don’t need to incentivize or reward members for their work on canning weekends or with THONvelope drives; they just throw themselves into THON’s mission wholeheartedly and genuinely. And they show more love than can be described for our families and every Four Diamonds families. That selfless, loving action, day in and day out, really encapsulates the zeal the Springfielders have for THON.

Why do you THON? What does FTK mean to you?

I THON for the smiles and memories, plain and simple; to one day dance in celebration.

What is your favorite Springfield memory?

Last year, the big goal for the fundraising season was to raise enough money to obtain lion shrine status, which was set at $270,000. Part of my role as Donor and Alumni Relations Chair last year was to keep track of our total

 What is your favorite canning memory? 

 I’ve gotten the opportunity to interact with all of our Four Diamonds-paired families and see the difference that we as students can make. We also happen to raise the most money per individual and have a ton of fun doing so, which is something that means a lot to me! THON is an incredible organization, but what is more important and more apparent to those involved is the dedication of the 15,000 student volunteers all involved to make a difference. We could be going out and partying 24/7 at a big State school, but instead we choose to help those who were handed a terrible hand of cards. I am sure that I spend way too much of my life working on Springfield related activities, time I should probably put towards school, but I know that I am making a difference, which is all that I will ever need.

Samantha Mayhew, Springfield Public Relations Chair

When did you join Springfield? What sparked your interest in joining a special interest THON organization?

I joined Springfield at the start of my freshman year because of the passion all the members displayed. I was struck by how every member was highly motivated to make a difference.

Why do you THON? What does FTK mean to you?

I THON for many reasons, which I have found are growing and developing as my time here continues. But, for now, I THON for everyone in the BJC who had been affected by cancer, for the people who were stuck in the hospital and couldn’t make it to THON weekend, and, finally, so that one day we dance in celebration.

What is your favorite Springfield memory?

THON was possibly the most incredible weekend of my life. It was an explosion of color, happiness, and tears. I’ve never been prouder to be a Penn Stater and even more so, I’ve never been prouder to be a Springfielder.

What is one special thing that Springfield does that none of the other special orgs do?

Every year, many of our male members (and even a few females!) shave their heads in honor of THON weekend.

What is your favorite canning memory? 

My freshman year, I brought a canning trip to my house. I was a little nervous before, but it ended up being a blast!

Keegan Walters, Atlas Executive Chair

When did you join THON?

I joined Atlas my sophomore year, but I was very loosely involved in THON my freshman year when I went with my roommate and his fraternity. We stayed for over 30 hours, even though neither of us had done very much that year. We just knew it was an event that we didn’t want to miss.

What does THON mean to you?

To me, THON means the smiles on kids’ faces when they are finally not thinking about their cancer. It allows us to take their minds off of what is an extremely difficult time, but it also gives the parents of our families a chance to relax. These families are going through unimaginable hardships, but we can help.

What is your favorite Atlas activity?

I love any activity that gets Atlas members meeting each other and bonding. The month leading up to THON is a great time for that, because we do a ton of activities to prep for the weekend and become as close as we can, so that THON weekend is as great as possible.

What are some of your duties as President of Atlas? Why don’t you tell us a little bit about what you do on a weekly basis?

As president, I do a lot of answering emails. There are always new members wanting to join throughout the year, which is great! I also oversee our general meetings and lead a weekly executive board meeting where my board and I assess how things are going along with preparing for upcoming events. On the side, I’m constantly taking a step away to try to see Atlas in the bigger picture.

What are some of your goals for Atlas this year?

I want to be able to look back on this year and see that I’ve created an atmosphere for Atlas members to become as close and connected within our organization as possible. If we can raise a ton of money in the process, then it’s a win/win.

Connor Charney, Atlas Special Events Chair

 When did you join THON?

I joined Atlas during summer session my freshman year. THON has interested me since before I came to Penn State, I remember my mom stopping to donate to canners when I was little, and when I was in high school my older brother’s girlfriend at the time danced in THON and I knew it was something I would want to get involved in the moment I saw my first line dance.

What do you think makes Atlas stand out as compared to other THON special interest orgs?

First and foremost: our size.  Being the largest special interest org means that the chances of finding someone with similar interests are dramatically increased. Atlas is founded on the belief that anyone can get involved in THON at any point in the school year. If you only want to go canning with us, you can, or if you only sign up right before THON itself you can still come hangout with us in the stands.  We are very welcoming as an org and are willing to let people be as involved as much as they want to be!

Why don’t you tell us a little bit about what Atlas’ Special Events committee does does?

Special Events is one of the committees within Atlas, it’s our job to facilitate the social interactions between our members.  There are two chairs that head up the SE committee, the special events chair and the community chair.  I am the special events chair so I take on the internal org responsibility while my co-chair, Mikayla Voller, takes on the outreach to prospective members as the community chair. That being said, we work a lot together on both aspects of the SE committee.  The biggest thing under the SE committee is our house system, which is where new and older members are put into a “house” together to get to know each other better.  It’s a way of making our large organization feel smaller.

Why did you decide to become a chair for THON

I have been involved in Atlas my entire college career so jumping into a leadership role seemed like the next logical step.  I ran for SE specifically because I wanted our members to have the best possible experience in our organization.  I see Special Events as the fuel that keeps the Atlas engine going. After all, our fundraising strategies go out the window if we don’t have members participating in them.

What is canvassing? Did you go? Any funny moments memories

Canvassing is door-to-door solicitation. We go around a neighborhood knocking on doors, explaining what THON is, and asking for a donation.  Not only does it help us fundraise, but it also provides us with the opportunity to spread the word about THON by having more in-depth conversations with donor.  I went canvassing this past weekend, and one of my favorite moments was when a new members, Shane, didn’t get an answer at the house he stopped at, so he proceeded to give his canvassing speech to the Halloween decorations on the person’s porch.

What is your favorite THON memory?

It’s so hard to pick just one.  The final four hours are always amazing in every way.  However, I think my favorite THON memory was spending the final four hours with the kids at the Hershey Medical Center my sophomore year.  A few organizations got to go to celebrate with the kids who were too sick to make it to THON. It was amazing to see the hospital that was built using funds from THON, and when the total went up, it was very special to have families com and personally thank you for what you did.