Location: Ellicott City, Maryland
Connection to Four Diamonds: Donor and mentor to THON
Years of Involvement: THON 2012-present
How are/were you involved with Four Diamonds and THON?
I am a donor to various “behind the scenes” long-term needs of THON and mentor/friend to the THON directors (especially the executive director).
Why is the partnership between Four Diamonds and THON important? It’s a fantastic opportunity for Penn State students to have lasting memories of the immediate and long-term impact that their time/talent/treasures can make to a child and their family. You have to simply watch these student interact with the children and their families to understand how selfless their actions are.
What is your favorite memory? I have three favorite memories.
1) First time standing on the stage and looking out onto the floor and into the BJC and being overwhelmed by the energy.
2) Standing among rows of four years of THON directors, linked arm-in-arm, as they watched the impact video near the end of THON weekend, and seeing tears in everyone of their eyes and not being able to hold back my own tears.
3) A more personal one, receiving the Diamond of Wisdom from Ryan Patrick in 2014 will be a lasting memory especially because I never expected it.
What is your dream for Four Diamonds and THON over the next 40 years?
Recently, Austin Sommerer and I were editing a document and Austin suggested adding the phrase “as we take steps toward finding a cure for childhood cancer”. My dream is that in the short term I can continue to have a positive impact on the students who run THON as they have life-long impacts on these children. The obvious long term dream…no more steps will have to be taken to find a cure. That we are at the joyous end of the journey called the Road to THON!
