DuBOIS, Pa. — Penn State DuBois has announced the students who will represent the campus at THON 2025:
- Amber Eberly, second-year criminal justice student from DuBois
- Gabby Horner, first-year occupational therapy student from DuBois
- Veronica Mercurio, first-year criminal justice student from Indian Trail, North Carolina
- Paige Miller, first-year criminal justice student from Halifax
The four students will head to Penn State University Park to take part in THON Weekend, which includes the 46-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon, Feb. 21-23 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Prior to their departure, all members of the community are invited to help support the efforts of THON by attending the dancer send-off dinner and hair auction. This is a great opportunity for the entire campus community to wish the dancers well and give them a final fundraising push before the big THON weekend. The dinner and hair auction will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 12, in the Hiller Student Union. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the event will begin at 6 p.m.
The highly anticipated hair auction will see seven participants "brave the chair and lose some hair," all for a great cause. The Beauty Bar in DuBois will again be donating their professional skills to help take off the donated hair, all for the THON cause.
- Jeff Romano, a fourth-year baseball student athlete, has agreed to shave his mustache, beard, and cut his hair, all in exchange for a total donation of $1,000.
- Zaiden Preston, a high school student and a family member of the co-chair of Madee Finalle, plans to cut 10 inches off his hair, all in exchange for a grand total of $2,500 in donations.
- Scott Muirhead, lecturer of business administration, will be cutting his hair, mustache and beard to raise a total of $2,000.
- Veronica Mercurio, one of this year’s THON dancers from Penn State DuBois, plans to donate 13 inches of her hair. She is raising $100 per inch, for a total of $1,300.
- Gabby Santoriello, who will be donating 8 inches of her hair. She is raising $150 per inch, with a goal of $1,600. If the goal is reached, Gabby will also get bangs as part of the donation.
- Maddy Shultz, a first-year softball student athlete, will be donating 8 inches of her hair, with a pledge of $200 per inch, totaling $1,600.
Members of the community can bid on each person’s hair and help them reach their individual goals and contribute to the overall campus goal for THON. Donations can be made at any time by visiting the donation page for THON for Penn State DuBois. Those who donate financially should let the hair donor know that you have donated to help them reach their goal. Those wishing to attend the send-off dinner and hair auction need to complete the online registration form by Feb. 5.
Penn State THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world in which thousands of volunteers are committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. THON is comprised of over 16,500 Penn State student volunteers who aim to provide emotional and financial support to Four Diamonds families, as well as to spread its mission and bring awareness to childhood cancer. Since its start in 1973, THON has raised over $200 million dollars to support Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.