Franklin Regional students, staff raise money to fight pediatric cancer with Mini-THON

Franklin Regional students and staff were dancing the day away on Wednesday at the school’s first Mini-THON, modeled on the wildly successful Penn State fundraiser that raises money for pediatric cancer patients and families through care, support and research.

This is the first year for the Franklin Regional Mini-THON Club, according to Franklin Regional junior Alaina Montgomery. The Mini-THON took place during the high school’s quality resource time and lunch periods, to give the maximum number of students a chance to take part and donate.

“We have an executive board with six people and I’m the secretary,” said Montgomery, 17. “We have about 20 members, started fundraising in July and kicked off the club in October.”

The club got an assist on fundraising as the beneficiary of FR’s annual holiday telethon late last year, but Wednesday’s event alone ended up bringing in more than $22,500, according to organizers.

Montgomery said officials from nonprofit Four Diamonds sent materials outlining how to form a THON club.

“They have a whole guide on how to start one at your school,” Montgomery said.

In addition to the dance marathon which serves as the event’s centerpiece, club members hosted a “Mr. Mini-THON” pageant with male students taking part in a lip-sync battle, and a teachers-versus-teachers dodgeball tournament.

It's teachers-vs-teachers at the @FRSDPanthers Mini-THON! @THON pic.twitter.com/vDff3lr9Si

— Patrick Varine - Tribune-Review (@VarineTrib) March 27, 2024

“We’re doing hair tinsel, basket raffles and we even have a balloon photo booth,” said club sponsor and teacher Carrie Jones. “Almost everything has been donated by local businesses and sponsors.”

That included 50 Chik-Fil-A sandwiches, which were gone in less than an hour.

Jones said the biggest challenge of putting the mini-THON together was the timeframe.

“Traditionally these happen overnight, so doing it during the school day in a way that we could pull off has been the toughest part,” Jones said.

For high school principal and former University of Pittsburgh graduate Ron Suvak, the biggest challenge was gritting his teeth and supporting an event closely associated with Penn State.

But he got over it.

“It’s incumbent upon us as a district to support this type of thing,” Suvak said. “We teach the ‘five C’s.’ One of them is citizenship, and what better way to show that than a great fundraiser like this?”

Montgomery said she’s excited to see the results from the club’s first year.

“It’s really special knowing that we’re not just bringing the school together, but also raising money for a great cause,” she said.