Free Republic

The gift of dance At Penn State's THON, 48 painful hours translated to $4.1 million for children with cancer. By Michael Vitez Inquirer Staff Writer STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - By 1 a.m. yesterday, after 30 hours on her feet - no sitting, no sleeping - Penn State senior Christine Polcino sobbed. She had rubbed her feet with peppermint oil, wrapped ice packs on her knees, taped her ankles like a professional athlete, gulped down three Tylenol. Still, she wept. "Everything hurts," she moaned, "like the hair on my head. My fingernails hurt." Her poor arches had fallen as much as...

Thon dancers get a lift from smiles of young patients By Chris Rosenblum crosenbl@centredailiy.com UNIVERSITY PARK -- As long as children squirted him with cold water and bounced rubber balls off his head, Ted Dougenik could put up with his aching arches. Dougenik, a Penn State sophomore, was one of 711 dancers shuffling, swaying and just trying to stay awake during the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Saturday in Rec Hall. But trying to boogie for 48 hours became easier once gleeful children and their families arrived and started mingling. "When the kids came, really, I forgot the...