Mini-THON Helps Cancer Kids
First Annual to Raise Awareness and Money
October 8, 2014
This event will consist of guest speakers, cancer patients and their families, Everyone is welcome to come and show support.
The First Annual Urbana High School Mini-Thon is just on the horizon, Hawks. Save Saturday, March 14th, 2015, from 5pm-11pm, for the six-hour, no sitting, no sleeping dance celebration, supporting the Four Diamonds Fund for conquering children’s cancer. Mini-Thon takes after Penn State’s own ‘Thon’. ‘Thon’ is a forty-six hour dance marathon also supporting the Four Diamonds Fund which is a foundation for families that have children with cancer helping to pay for what insurance cannot.
To participate, competitors must register as a dancer for $10 and get an information packet from English teacher Stephen Ward, social studies teacher Matthew Ferrante, or your class representatives. Participants are not required to enter in pairs; competitors can enter individually if they please.
Ward said, “It’s a different kind of dance. It is a dance in celebration.” He points out that at Mini-Thon, cancer patients and their families will be present as well as other guest speakers. He would like people to keep in mind that this is for the kids.
This year’s theme for the Urbana High School Mini-Thon is called, SOAR 4 the Cure. The pun reflects that we are the Hawks and we SOAR high. Mini-Thon brings back the memory of a lost cancer patient through this theme because of his love for amusement parks. “So the soaring is appropriate with the roller coaster theme,” Ward said.
On the day of the Mini-Thon, there will be other activities to enjoy such as obstacle courses, games, line dances that will be repeated throughout the night, Zumba and much more.
Ward said, “If you are willing to have an open mind and come and experience a dance that is different than all sorts of dances, I think kids will remember it for…a lifetime.”
The Mini-Thon also overlaps with the School Spirit Wars; grade will be competing against grade to win. The class with the most registered dancers will win the points.
The school will be holding a few events leading up to the Mini-Thon, including a Wear a Hat Week allowing any student to wear a hat all week long signifying how children wear hats after they lose their hair due to the cancer. There will also be the Penny Wars, raising money for the fund overlapping with the School Spirit Wars. Rachel Rosenfeld, freshman class representative also adds that there might be an Urbana Idol competition and a Student-Staff basketball game. With all of these events, the Mini-Thon and more, the school hopes to reach at least ten thousand dollars for the foundation.
