Dancers Diana Nolte and Mary Roche remind fans that THON refers to Abington as OZ, a throwback to when the campus was called Ogontz.
With less than two weeks to prepare for the annual dance marathon, Abington Benefiting THON is running at peak efficiency. Members of the organization are wrapping up travel arrangements and logistics, while the dancers representing Penn State Abington, Mary Roche and Diana Nolte, train and stockpile fresh socks and sneaks.
Roche, a junior, joined Abington THON last year and “fell in love with what we do.” The business and history major recently blogged about why she and 700 others will dance for 46 hours to raise money for children with pediatric cancer.
“THON 2015 is almost here! The moment I have been waiting for all year. I cannot begin to explain my anticipation. It is 5-year-old me on Christmas Eve, lying in bed in hopes to hear footsteps on the roof; however, it is far greater than that. I -- Mary Roche -- will be alongside Diana Nolte as Penn State Abington’s dancers, dancing our hearts out for 46 hours. We will be fighting for a cure to pediatric cancer."
"I often get asked why I am so passionate about THON. I guess I would say that through everything we do, we are one step closer to giving all children the opportunity to share the same excitement I felt on Christmas Eve."
"This is why I THON. Why I fight for the dreamers. Why I am so incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to dance in THON 2015. FTK."
--Mary Roche, junior at Penn State Abington
"My wish is for all children to have the fun-filled, carefree, happy childhood that each and every one of them deserves. My wish is for no parent to ever have to hear a precious child has cancer. My wish is for families to spend holidays, special occasions, and vacations together, and not in a hospital. They should never have to live in fear of a holiday being their child’s last."
"This is what THON is doing. We “Brighten Every Journey.” We “Inspire Tomorrow’s Miracles.” We “Redefine the Possibilities.” We “Empower the Dreamers.”
"Cancer is not going to be cured overnight. Until then, we can do everything in our power to give these families the ability to spend every moment with their sick child by continuing to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund. We give these families hope."
"This is why I THON. Why I fight for the dreamers. Why I am so incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to dance in THON 2015. For The Kids."
Read more about how Roche, Nolte and the rest of Abington THON prepare For The Kids at https://pennstateabington.wordpress.com
