Atlas Benefiting THON

Atlas THON
Abbreviation Atlas
Motto Dancing Today for a Better Tomorrow
Formation 2005
Purpose Philanthropy
Location
Executive Chairperson
Kate Robinson
Parent organization
Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon
Affiliations Four Diamonds Fund
Volunteers
~300 students
Website http://www.atlasftk.org

Atlas is a Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) special interest organization. THON is the world's largest student-run philanthropy which raises funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer.[1] Atlas was the top monetary contributor to THON 2016, raising $298,611.81; this was the sixth consecutive year that Atlas was the top fundraising organization within THON.[2] Atlas currently has three THON families: The Smiths, with Four Diamonds child Victoria Smith, the Gerenas, with Four Diamonds Child Amarie Gerena, and the Johnsons, with Four Diamonds Child Samir Johnson. Atlas also has one legacy family with whom they are no longer officially paired, the Brobsons, with Four Diamonds Child Claire Brobson.

Atlas is most recognizable for their fuzzy pink hats that they wear; these are the result of the need to be recognized on the online video feed of THON when their first THON child Victoria, was still in the hospital. Pink stood out, and Victoria liked the way that the fuzzy hats felt, so they quickly became the defining symbol of the organization.[3]

Atlas was recognized in 2011 by the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center as one of the top 100 organizations nationally that are fighting cancer; they were one of the only student organizations given this honor.[4]

History

Atlas was founded in the Fall of 2005 by Matt Sterling and Chris Lucas with help from Boris Minkovich and Naveen Arora, all students in the Penn State Schreyer Honors College dorm in Atherton Hall. Starting with just about 25 students, Atlas was paired with a Four Diamonds family, the Victoria Smith Family, in their first year as an organization. They raised $26,007.85 and were represented by two dancers, Chris Lucas and Boris Minkovich. The second year of Atlas's existence was marked by a significant growth in membership to over 140 members. This growth resulted in the organization raising $86,595.68, which was enough to lead all independent organizations that year. Atlas adopted a second Four Diamonds family, the Claire Brobson Family, along with her siblings Will and Gabe, for THON 2009.[5] This was also a record-breaking year for Atlas, as they raised over $200,000, becoming the first independent organization within THON to do so. Atlas shattered all records again in THON 2011, raising over $380,000 and becoming the first non-Greek organization to be the top fundraiser in THON, as well as setting a record for the most money raised by a single organization in a single year. Atlas also raised its one millionth dollar as an organization in 2011.[6][7]

For THON 2012, Atlas raised over $102,000 on its first canning weekend, which is the first time in THON's history that a single organization surpassed $100,000 on a single canning weekend. Two days before THON 2012, Atlas was given a third Four Diamonds family, the Gerenas.[8] This came as quite a surprise, since most families are assigned to organizations within THON much earlier in the year. Atlas raised $369,224.04 for THON 2012, being the top fundraising organization within THON for the second consecutive year.

For THON 2013, Atlas continued to break records. They raised a record $119,067.95 in the first canning weekend,[9] then broke that record by raising $144,077.96 in the second canning weekend. These were the two highest totals for a single organization in a single canning weekend in THON history at the time. Atlas broke the record for most money raised by an organization in one year, raising $560,097.48 for THON 2013. This was the first time that any single organization had raised over $500,000 in a single year for THON and accounted for 4.5% of the overall total money raised for THON 2013.

For THON 2015, Atlas broke the canning record again, raising $127,545.10 in the first canning weekend, making it the best first canning weekend of any organization ever and the second best canning weekend overall, behind only themselves.

In October 2015, Atlas was officially paired with the Samir Johnson family who replaced the Brobsons as their third officially paired family.

Atlas' Fundraising Totals
Year Amount
2006 $26,007.85
First year in THON
2007 $86,595.68
Top Independent Fundraising Organization within THON
2008 $160,473.97
First independent organization over $100,000
2009 $216,785.15[10]
First independent organization over $200,000
2010 $266,128.33
2011 $381,884.97[11]
First independent organization to be first overall[12][13]
2012 $369,224.04 First overall
2013 $560,097.48
First organization to raise more than $500,000 in a single year; First overall
2014 $390,366.96 First overall
2015 $470,347.55 First overall
2016 $298,611.81 First overall

Organization Info

Atlas has 11 executive board members, as well as over 300 general members. Membership is difficult to determine, however, as there are no "dues" to be an official member. Rather, each member participates by doing whatever he or shee chooses to do while in the organization. Other than the dance marathon itself, typical activities throughout the year include the THON 5K, visits with their THON families, and three "canning" weekends throughout the year. Canning weekends are designated weekends by THON in which students leave State College for the weekend and go to various members' houses around the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York areas. Students stand on street corners with large coffees cans and solicit donations from passing cars. This is the most profitable fundraising activity completed by Atlas, and is the most significant portion of being a member of Atlas. Canning weekends are known to form tight bonds between those who go on a trip together.

During THON 2016's first canning weekend, on September 27, 2015, a group of volunteers from a greek organization were involved in a car accident on their way back to Penn State. One of the passengers, Tally Sepot, lost her life and the future of canning became at question. Following the tragedy, the second two weekends were cancelled and were not rescheduled. In April 2016, THON overalls announced the decision to "phase out" canning due to safety concerns and a positive outlook for growth in third party fundraising. For THON 2017, there will be two canning weekends, one canning weekend for THON 2018, and none thereafter. Though the decision has since provoked criticism, it was one best made to ensure the safety of all volunteers, while alluding to the growth of innovation and new ways of fundraising.

However, in addition to canning, Atlas members send out solicitation letters, known as THONvelopes, to family, friends and alumni. These letters have also been digitally rendered to be sent via e-mail and are known as THONlines. Members can also solicit donors by holding alternative fundraisers in State College and their hometowns, or by placing donation boxes in businesses around the country.

Atlas also participates in Relay for Life, as well as sponsoring Alex's Lemonade stands, in an effort to continue their dedication to fighting pediatric cancer year-round.[14]

Atlas' Executive Boards
Year Board Members
2006 Matt Sterling (President)
2007 Matt Sterling (President), Naveen Arora (Finance), Heather Melnick (Family Relations), Chris Lucas (Canning)
2008 Greg Tallman (President), Alli Shultz (Finance), Hillary Peterson (FR), Michelle Thiry (FR), Sam Merritt (Canning), Jason Litman (Canning), Brian Buterbaugh (Donor and Alumni Relations), Greg Frisby (Donor and Alumni Relations)
2009 Alli Shultz (President), Emily Cassidy (FR), Michelle Thiry (FR), Zach Shue (Canning), Greg Frisby (Canning), Dan Levy (DAR), Lindsay Gerhart (Tech)
2010 Dan Levy (President), Emily Cassidy (FR), Meg O'Rourke (FR), Jamie Nevel (Canning), Abhinav "Slater" Nair (Alternative Fundraising), Kevin Swanson (Special Events), Zach Miller (DAR), Brandon Leibowitz (DAR)
2011 Meg O'Rourke (President), Mike Russo (Finance), Nina Wertan (FR), Dave Haneman (FR), Steve Topper (Canning), Matt Kapelewski (Alt Fund), Ben Granatt (SE), Jason Harmon (DAR), Chris Daly (DAR)
2012 Steve Topper (President), Bryan Williams (Finance), Jen Bilski (FR), Mike DePaul (FR), Steve Patrick (Canning), Lindsay Borgen (Alt Fund), Jenna Nankivell (SE), Christine Cannon (SE), Jamie Metkus (DAR), Emily McConnell (DAR)
2013 Steve Patrick (President), Sean Carr (Finance), Alyssa Jacunski (FR), Mike DePaul (FR), Mike Stanowski (Canning), Allison Montgomery (Alt Fund), Andrew Timmons (SE), Alaina Harvey (SE), Carly Seneca (DAR), Christine Dax (DAR)
2014 Mike Stanowski (President), AJ Cheesman (Finance), Clara Etter (FR), Harris Beck (FR), Kevin Cass (Canning), Katie Harrison (Alt Fund), Julie Roehner (SE), Logan Bykofsky (SE), Keegan Walters (DAR), Brian Curry (Solicitations), Rachel Rothstein (Admin)
2015 Kevin Cass (President), Meghan Philbin (Finance), Elisa Hickey (FR), Lindsay Wratcher (FR), Meghan Riegel (Canning), Andrew Kowalski (Alt Fund), Chris McElroy (SE), Laura Lano (Community), Wilton Smith (DAR), Nick Benelli (Solicitations), Marie Macaulay (Admin)
2016 Keegan Walters (President), Patrick Kunz (Finance), Rachele Poveromo (FR), Katie Nastase (FR), Sean Russo (Canning), Kate Robinson (Alt Fund), Connor Charney (SE), Mikayla Voller (Community), Angela Buccellato (DAR), Samantha Eckstein (Solicitations), Josh Zollman (Admin)
2017 Kate Robinson (President), Jim Srock (Finance), Hannah Robinson (FR), Alyssa Kustenbauder (FR), Kelly Kowalski (Fundraising Outreach), John Peterson (Alt Fund), Kristi Mirth (SE), Alex Hannaway (Community), Katelyn Estelow (DAR), Josh Schechtman (Solicitations), David Zaremsky (Admin)

Dancers

2015 Atlas dancers minutes before standing for 46 hours straight

Each year, Atlas selects dancer to represent the organization in THON for the 46-hour, no-sitting and no-sleeping dance marathon. It is an honor to be selected as an Atlas dancer; there are currently over 300 members in the organization, yet only 10 get to dance each year, with many more deserving this opportunity. The following is the list of dancers selected annually to represent Atlas in the fight against pediatric cancer:

Year Dancers[15]
2006 Chris Lucas and Boris Minkovich
2007 Naveen Arora, Matt Sterling, Sam Merritt, Jen Koffs, Lizzy Fustos, and Alison Gerber
2008 Matt McCowan, Rebby Willen, Ryan Ahn, Michelle Thiry, Lindsay Gerhart, Heather Melnick, Brian Buterbaugh, and Bobby Staloff
2009 Emily Cassidy, Alli Shultz, Greg Frisby, Zach Shue, Elaine Tanella, Kirsten Quisenberry, Lauren Julius, Laurel Upton, Jamie Nevel, and Jason Litman
2010 Ben Denkin, Kim Hawk, Nate Heinzelman, Laura McCann, Zach Miller, Slater Nair, Meg O’Rourke, Greg Tallman, Brandon Tricou, Nina Wertan
2011 Alex Bruce, Eden Eliff, Dave Haneman, Ashlie Huss, Matt Kapelewski, Dan Levy, Vicki Marone, Kim Morgan, Mike Russo, and Steve Topper
2012 Jen Bilski, Lindsay Borgen, Chris Daly, Rachel Dzombak, Jason Harmon, Corey Keenan, Erin Lathrop, Emily McConnell, Kevin Swanson, and Bryan Williams
2013 Christine Cannon, Christine Dax, Mike DePaul, Allison Frederick, Lindsey Joyce, Nickie Klingler, Jamie Metkus, Jenna Nankivell, Steve Patrick, and Carly Seneca
2014 Sean Carr, Kevin Cass, Clara Etter, Katie Harrison, Alyssa Jacunski, Bob Kowalski, Ryan McElroy, Allison Montgomery, Ashley Reed, Mike Stanowski
2015 Harris Beck, Brian Curry, Marie Macaulay, Chris McElroy, Meghan Philbin, Julie Roehner, Rachel Rothstein, Mikayla Voller, Keegan Walters, Lindsay Wratcher
2016 Kate Robinson, Andrea Garbrick, Nick Benelli, Rachele Poveromo, Josh Zollman, Meghan Riegel, Andrew Kowalski, Kaylee McNamara, Wilton Smith, Laura Lano

See also

References

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