Penn State Berks Dancers Prepare for THON Event in Support of Pediatric Cancer Families

READING, Pa. — Penn State Berks will hold a dancer send-off event from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Perkins Student Center Lion’s Den, supporting students heading to the University’s annual dance marathon, THON, which benefits families impacted by pediatric cancer.

The send-off, which is open to the public, will feature free soft pretzels from the Philly Pretzel Factory’s Muhlenberg location. The event serves to rally the campus community in support of the dancers representing Penn State Berks.

THON takes place from Friday, Feb. 21, to Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University Park. This year’s theme, “A Home for Hope,” will guide the 46-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon, which draws students from every Penn State campus to raise funds for Four Diamonds, a foundation supporting families dealing with childhood cancer.

This year’s dancers from Penn State Berks include juniors Kelvin Garcia-Bonilla and Cassady Wallace, alongside sophomores Heather Hoffman and Johnathan Newnham. Co-overall chair Savannah Bogari and co-overall chair Lindsey Giacobello will accompany the dancers in University Park.

Bogari, a business major, holds a longstanding commitment to THON, having danced in 2023. She is slated to deliver a speech on stage this year following Berks’ selection for the satellite campus spotlight, which allows representatives to share personal experiences with THON.

“I’m excited to support our dancers. Having been a dancer, I know how much it means to have the support from our organization,” Bogari expressed. “I am so proud of them and excited to give a speech on stage at THON.”

Giacobello, an accounting major, brings two years of involvement with Berks Benefitting THON and experience from her high school’s Mini-THON.

Each dancer has a personal connection to the cause. Garcia-Bonilla, a kinesiology major, began participating in THON after losing his grandfather to cancer in 2011. He shared, “I joined THON to help others avoid the pain of losing a loved one.”

Wallace, also a kinesiology major, is new to Berks Benefitting THON. She is motivated to fight for a cure after witnessing the emotional toll cancer takes on children and their families through her mother’s work as a radiation oncologist.

“The sadness that radiates off her anytime she treats a child makes me want to fight for a cure,” Wallace said. “I never want anyone else to have to speak the words, ‘My child has cancer.’”

Hoffman, a biology major who joined THON as a freshman, shifted her initial motivation from supporting fellow dancers to honoring families impacted by cancer. “Seeing how THON makes a difference for our families makes me honored to be a part of it,” she stated.

Newnham, majoring in supply chain information systems, is responsible for tracking expenses for Berks Benefitting THON. He has engaged with the organization since his first year at Penn State and participated in Mini-THON during high school.

Berks Benefitting THON has been actively fundraising, with recent efforts incorporating events at local venues like Red Robin, Honeygrow, Yogo Crazy, and MOD Pizza. They also host various sales and events on campus, including pretzels and candy sales, a ‘Pie in the Face’ event, homecoming bingo, and their largest fundraiser, the annual Inspire the Night benefit dinner at the Redner’s Event Center at First Energy Stadium. To date, they have raised $17,252.

In 2024, THON raised over $16.9 million, with Penn State Berks contributing $34,090.75, earning fifth place among Commonwealth campuses for fundraising achievements. Donations for this year’s THON will be accepted until midnight on Feb. 22.