For all of StateCollege.com’s THON 2010 coverage, click here.
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Caitlin Zankowski made it clear Saturday evening she would be thrilled by the total amount of money donated to THON 2010, no matter the amount.
What if it’s more than in 2008, a record-shattering year? Thrilled.
What if it’s less than in 2008? Same reaction.
Look, the IFC/Panhellenic Council Dance Marathon Chair said, we’re raising millions of dollars for kids with cancer. Simple as that.
As it turned out, they raised $7.8 million. Well, $7,838,054.36.
And while it’s likely she was sincere Saturday night — after all, she had to be prepared for the possibility of not reaching last year’s stunning amount — her reaction Sunday afternoon betrayed her.
One by one, giant cards were lifted, revealing the total from right to left. The crowd was dead silent, save for a few premature clappers, at the 54.36 mark.
At 838,054.36, all of the air inside the Bryce Jordan Center disappeared, gone into the lungs of thousands prepared to scream their heads off. Even if that last digit turned out to be a ‘6,’ that is still, as Zankowski put it, ‘millions of dollars for kids with cancer.
But then the last digit was raised. ‘7.’
They didn’t just beat last year’s total; they did it by more than $300,000. The difference between ‘7.5’ and ‘7.8’ becomes much more impressive when ‘million’ is tacked on to the end.
The crowd roared. It’s what they had hoped, prayed and wished for. Check that; it’s what they worked for all year long.
The crowd settled, anticipating a moving speech from the woman who coordinated it all, starting shortly after THON 2009 ended.
It wasn’t until most of the BJC had quieted down that the dancers and supporters could hear her speak.
She didn’t, though. At least not right away.
For a brief eternal moment, Zankowski looked at the jam-packed BJC, looked back at the ‘7,’ turned back to the crowd and just breathed.
Heavy breath never sounds so heavy as it does on the BJC speakers.
She thanked the crowd for being part of the most successful THON yet and asked that everyone get home safe. And she made her way to the back of the stage.
It was a teasing ending to a emotional day, an emotional weekend. She was so calm, so composed, it made the rest of the crowd physically antsy.
Then, suddenly: ‘AHHHHHHHHHH!’
There was leaping into arms, there was hugging, screaming, crying, cheering, clapping, high-fiving, low-fiving, kissing, hand-shaking and celebrating.
The Four Diamonds Fund has never turned away a single family looking for help paying medical bills, and THON is making sure that it will never need to.
Let me reiterate: Families of children with cancer know they can turn to the Four Diamonds Fund in their greatest time of need and find the greatest comfort possible, thanks to the work of these Penn State students.
There’s a reason THON has the following that it does and a reason it’s so popular that it was, for a moment, the No. 1 ‘trending topic’ on the Twittersphere — it is incredible.
It’s not supposed to be all about the money, nor is it. The overall committee members, families and dancers all agree on this.
THON weekend is an escape for children who have lived through some of the worst experiences imaginable. It’s a three-day, 46-hour party with carnival games, dancing and big kids to ambush with water guns. For some of the kids, it’s their favorite ‘holiday.’
On behalf of myself and StateCollege.com, congratulations to everyone involved in THON 2010. Your work is endlessly impressive.
To the overall committee members, especially Zankowski: As sure as we are you don’t need anyone to tell you, commit to memory every moment leading up to and including 4:30 p.m. Feb. 21, 2010. You’ll see photos and videos galore, but nothing will be as powerful as the emotions and adrenaline you felt this weekend.
To the families: You shared your personal nightmares with a crowd of thousands of strangers, and you called them friends. You called them family. You seem eternally grateful for THON, but it is you who show the greatest strength and love of all.
We look forward to THON 2011.
