Written by: Ben Borus ‘22 and Joseph Mondy ‘21

Each February, the Pennsylvania Beta Gamma Chapter at Penn State University celebrates THON weekend inside the Bryce Jordan Center located on campus. THON, the largest student-run philanthropy event in the world, is a year-long fundraising campaign aimed at raising funds for the fight against pediatric cancer. However, this year, COVID-19 turned the THON community and the Beta Gamma chapter’s plans upside down.

When our chapter members experienced the COVID-19 lockdown in March, many in the brotherhood were unsure how long the restrictions would last as the virus was still being researched. As the pandemic edged into summer, the THON community received news that would completely change the event–the 2021 event would be an all-virtual experience. At first, feelings of complete disappointment filled our brotherhood; the school year's best weekend was not going to hold up to the celebrations of years prior. Despite this news, however, the PA Beta Gamma Chapter was determined to make the most of a fundraising window. With the momentum gained from raising $40,000 this past year for 2020’s THON, our brothers got to work.

In previous years, canvassing throughout some of our brothers' hometowns and neighborhoods was the go-to way to fundraise. With social distancing in place, we had to redesign our efforts around DonorDrive, an online donation platform. This website allows THON volunteers to create a personal fundraising goal within their organization without relying on physical donations. While DonorDrive had been around before the pandemic, we have never relied on it as much as we do now.

We also realized that we needed to think outside the box to make our fundraising goal a reality. This fall, brothers started sending “THONvelopes,” letters sent to family and friends that explain our mission and allow another revenue stream for fundraising.

Motivating the brotherhood to contribute to THON in any way they can has been a crucial task for our THON chairs this year. With virtual engagement being of the utmost importance, small brotherhood events like video game tournaments become the new normal. And with incentives for brothers, “fundraisers of the month” have left the chapter feeling as though we’re picking up right where we left off from THON 2020. The chapter has raised $7,766.78 to date and is excited to provide new fundraising opportunities that partner with both local and global businesses.

This pandemic may have changed many aspects of our daily lives, but the fight to end pediatric cancer remains intact. Pennsylvania Beta Gamma has an amazing team of dedicated brothers to serve as chairs for this event: Joseph Mondy ‘21, Kamron Sarmadi ’21, Thayne George ‘21, Jack Bush ‘22, Max Watson ‘22, and Dylan McEvoy ‘21. We ask brothers from all chapters of Phi Kappa Theta to join us in this fight so that someday, no child or family will ever have to hear the word “cancer” again. To learn more about our THON efforts or contribute to our cause, please visit the link listed below or send our Primary THON Chair, Joseph Mondy, an email.

"Give, expecting nothing thereof..."

DonorDrive: https://donate.thon.org/?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2169