Portion of PSU football ticket sales to benefit Thon

It is possible that Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” will blare from the loudspeakers inside Beaver Stadium on Saturday, when Penn State will play the role of underdog to 14th-ranked Michigan.

You won’t have to tell Thon volunteers twice — their 2016 theme is “Believe Beyond Boundaries.”

The student-run philanthropy has fundraised, canned and danced its way for a cure to childhood cancer for decades, and Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics will join the fight this weekend. The ICA will donate half the proceeds from the last 3,000 tickets sold for the noon game to the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, giving Nittany Lions fans another reason to cheer.

The Four Diamonds Fund, based out of Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, will benefit from the donation, which could easily reach six digits, because the remaining tickets are for prices between $100 to $200.

It is, in a way, a tough love reminder that there are children trying to get one in the win column, too.

“Not only does this opportunity raise funds, but also brings awareness to a cause that this community is deeply passionate about. The more tickets that are sold, the more lives that can be impacted through Thon’s efforts and that is something we are truly thankful for.”

The donation, Penn State athletics spokesman Jeff Nelson said, is to help supplement what would have been raised during canning trips, two of which were canceled after Vitalya “Tally” Sepot’s death.

She was a 19-year-old sophomore from Branford, Conn., who died Sept. 27 when she and six other students were in a one-vehicle crash on the Turnpike near the King of Prussia exit. The students were returning from a canning trip in which they raised donations for Thon. Sepot was the second student to die due to a car crash during a canning trip.

Thon Executive Director Katie Mailey canceled the remaining canning trips in an effort to review and implement a “sustainable and robust solution” to safety concerns for students.

Thon, which has raised about $127 million since 1977 for families affected by childhood cancer and for research toward finding a cure, regularly works with ICA to raise donations. ICA has also donated proceeds from 2015’s Thon Hockey Game, Thon Soccer Game and Thon Football Game with Thon Hoops scheduled for Dec. 5.

Events like this sometimes incorporate Four Diamonds children.

“This particular opportunity is for ticket sales, but Four Diamonds families come to other athletic events throughout the year and are able to participate in activities,” Beatty said. “For example, for the Thon Soccer game earlier this month Four Diamonds children were able to accompany players when the starting lineups were announced and participated in an on-field activity at halftime. Those are just a couple of opportunities, but we incorporate family involvement as much as possible.”

Thon is working with ICA to incorporate Four Diamonds families in halftime programming for Thon Hoops, according to Beatty, who said there will also be a postgame carnival open to the families.

Four Diamonds children will also get an opportunity during Thon weekend, a 46-hour dance marathon from Feb. 19 to Feb. 21, to meet student-athletes away from the gridiron.

“Other meet and greet opportunities happen throughout the year at events such as Thon Hoops as well as Athlete Hour, where many athletes from different teams have the opportunity to interact with families during Thon Weekend,” Beatty said.

The Nittany Lion seniors playing their final game in Beaver Stadium will be honored in a pregame ceremony for Senior Day, for which fans are encouraged by ICA to wear white.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Portion of PSU football ticket sales to benefit Thon."