Schools
Mini-THON Dancing In Montco School To Benefit Pediatric Cancer
Lower Moreland high-schoolers will be on their feet for 12 hours in an effort to raise money to fight childhood cancer.
LOWER MORELAND, PA — High school students in this eastern Montgomery County community were planning to be on their feet for 12 hours Friday to raise money in the fight against childhood cancer.
Lower Moreland High School students on Friday were scheduled to dance, run, or stand in place during a Mini-THON to raise money to benefit pediatric cancer research, a 12-hour event scheduled to take place between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The dancing event was set to take place inside the high school gymnasium.
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Hundreds of students had signed up to participate in the school's annual Mini-THON, which is modeled after the 48-hour event of the same name that was started at Penn State University, according to the school district.
The event was to include music, sports, games, grade-versus-grade friendly competitions and guest speakers.
Find out what's happening in Lower Morelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Students who are participating in the dancing part of the event were slated to be wearing different colors: freshmen would be in pink, sophomores in green, juniors in gold and seniors decked out in blue garb.
Colored bandanas would be sported by designated "captains" at the event.
Lower Moreland says it models its now-annual event after Penn State's THON event, which is considered to be the largest student-run philanthropy event throughout the country.
The fundraising event dates back to its inception in 1977.
The goal of THON is to help lessen the financial and emotional burdens on families struggling with childhood cancer, according to a description about the program.
Money raised through THON benefits the Four Diamonds Fund, which began in the early 1970s by Charles and Irma Millard, whose son, Christopher, was a victim of childhood cancer at the age of 14.
The Millard's goal was to raise money to benefit families going through pediatric cancer treatments at Penn State's Children's Hospital.
Money raised helps to offset the costs families face that are not covered by health insurance.
More about the Four Diamonds Fund can be found here.
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