How To Maximize The Weeks Leading Up To Thon

Photo from @pennstatethon on instagram

THON, Penn State’s 46-hour dance marathon, is rapidly approaching, with high stakes after raising a whopping $13, 756, 374. 50 in 2022. Penn State prides itself on having the largest student-run philanthropy in the country, and it is no secret that every contribution makes a difference. While ribbon sales and canning are classic fundraising strategies, the simplest way to raise money is through a DonorDrive. With THON occurring within a few weeks, VALLEY thought it would be helpful to share some tips and tricks on maximizing the remaining time to better fundraise for the kids.

Hannah Ostrosky, the THON chair of Volé (Penn State’s largest dance organization), gave some insight on how to maximize the use of the DonorDrive. Ostrosky states that her organization has “found a lot of success by texting people individually.”

“I think that that helps them feel more personally involved with the cause, and I have found that people are more likely to donate if they’re hearing directly from you rather than just seeing a general post on social media,” said Ostrosky, who also shared that THON encourages students to personalize their DonorDrive pages.

“Adding pictures and some information about your personal journey with THON allows potential donors to better understand what you’re doing and why it matters”

Hannah Ostrosky
Photo from @volexalphasigbenefittingthon on Instagram

Social media has been and will continue to be a huge part of fundraising. Including the DonorDrive in an Instagram or Facebook bio can make a great deal of difference especially if the student puts promotional posts or stories on those platforms.

Each organization has upcoming events to fundraise for THON. For example, Volé and their fraternal partners, Alpha Sigma Phi, are running a tag fundraiser at the start of the semester. Additionally, restaurants in town often have nights where part of their profits go to THON. Penn State athletics are also buckling down with a THON basketball game to raise money for the kids! THON hoops is happening at the Bryce Jordan Center on January 29th and students can purchase a ticket for $5 at the HUB.

Photo from @pennstatethon on Instagram

Another event for THON 2023, “Foster the Magic”, will be held February 17-19 at the Bryce Jordan Center. A recommendation for Penn State students interested in making a difference, and gaining involvement, is to follow the THON Instagram page (@pennstatethon), they update it with upcoming fundraisers, no matter how big or small. Also as stated before, pushing a DonorDrive is more important now than ever! Every penny matters, and can contribute to saving a child’s life.

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