DuBois THON Send-Off Fundraiser Helps Set Record, Shows Strong Community Support

DuBOIS, Pa. - Penn State DuBois students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members came together in a powerful show of support at this year's THON Send-Off Fundraiser, helping the campus surpass previous fundraising totals and continue its long-standing legacy of giving.

The annual event, a 25-year tradition at Penn State DuBois, serves as the campus' final major push leading into THON Weekend. This year's fundraiser featured a variety of activities including dinner, MEGA bingo, raffles, rip tickets, and the beloved hair auction, all aimed at raising funds for pediatric cancer research and supporting families through the Four Diamonds Fund.

Student leaders and THON dancers Alex Ross, Savannah Ross and Amber Eberly described the evening as both uplifting and energizing as they prepare to represent Penn State DuBois during THON Weekend.

"We went from about $18,000 raised to over $30,000 raised in just one night, which was really, really cool to see," said Savannah Ross. "Donations came in from $5 to $500, and it all just came together so quickly."

Students estimate that fundraising efforts have exceeded $35,000, setting a new benchmark for the DuBois campus. The official final total raised will be revealed over THON weekend.

"We're pretty sure we beat our previous totals and the DuBois record," said Alex Ross. "The amount of support that's been pouring in from multiple avenues has just been amazing."

The success of the event was driven not only by donations, but by the strong turnout and participation from across the campus and local community.

"The biggest thing was that people showed up," Savannah Ross said. "That's the whole community aspect. People show up for each other, and even after the event, alumni and others continued donating. It was really cool to see that kind of support."

Alex Ross added that encouragement from the community has been especially meaningful leading up to THON Weekend.

"The support from everyone has been really encouraging and uplifting," he said. "It makes me more excited heading into THON weekend knowing how much people are behind us."

For Amber Eberly, who is dancing for the second year, the continued encouragement has been deeply personal.

"I'm really appreciative of my family supporting me again, even though I just did this last year," Eberly said. "They're going through the whole process again with me."

Beyond the excitement of the event itself, students emphasized the significance of this year's fundraiser as part of Penn State DuBois' long history of THON involvement.

"For the past 25 years, this has been the biggest fundraiser to pull money in," Savannah Ross said. "It's kind of that final push to raise as much as possible, and it really shows what THON means to Penn State DuBois."

With ongoing changes across Commonwealth Campuses, this year's participation also carries added meaning for the student leaders.

"With this possibly being the last year for Penn State DuBois at THON, if this happens to be the last year, we did something good. It was a good year," Savannah Ross said.

Eberly echoed that sentiment, noting the group's determination to make this year count.

"We're really going out with a bang, this might be the last chance we have," she said.

Students also highlighted the legacy they hope this year's fundraising efforts will leave behind.

"The legacy part of this is that we broke the record and raised the most money Penn State DuBois has ever raised for THON," Savannah Ross said. "I think that's going to stand out for quite some time."

Community members who were unable to attend the fundraiser can still support the Penn State DuBois dancers throughout THON Weekend. Donation links remain active through the final hours of the event, with additional opportunities to give during matching hours and final fundraising pushes.

"During THON weekend, there are matching hours and final donation periods, so the link stays open until the very end," Savannah Ross said. "People can still donate and show their support all weekend long."

As the dancers prepare to stand for 46 hours at the Bryce Jordan Center, they carry with them the encouragement and generosity of the DuBois campus and surrounding community; a reflection of the campus' longstanding commitment to supporting children and families affected by pediatric cancer.

For the Penn State DuBois THON team, this year's send-off fundraiser was more than just a successful event, they said; it was a celebration of community, tradition, and the enduring impact a small campus can make.

To learn more about supporting Penn State DuBois dancers or how to contribute to their fundraising efforts, visit https://donate.thon.org/DuBois.