The Big Red THON 2024 event raised $20,502 for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse. This marks the first time the annual event has brought in more than $20,000 since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Big Red THON, founded in 2015, is the extension of the nationwide Dance Marathon movement. Cornell is the first Ivy League school to adopt the movement. In total, the organization has raised over $115,000 for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, according to Vice Executive Director Josie Vogel ’25. The club’s main focus is to support children receiving cancer treatment.
The annual performance event features various festivities and performances. This year, performances were presented by several Cornell dance groups including Illuminations Chinese Dance, LOKO and Rise Dance Group. There are also family games and food for attendees to enjoy.
The club uniquely invites families and children to the event.
“Our whole club is around seeing the family and meeting the family. It is not just raising money and sending a check. I think that is very fulfilling,” said Communications and Marketing Chair Joanne Lin ’27. “Everyone is encouraged to stand up for as long as possible, for children who cannot.”
While members joined Big Red Thon for different reasons, they are united by their desire to help children in need.
Ava Butz ’26 said, “I was always interested in medicine, and I had friends in the club. I thought the club would be a fun way to help children in need.”
Vogel described that it became a tradition for members of the lacrosse team to get involved with Big Red THON.
“It’s fulfilling to see the miracle parents speak and how Upstate Golisano Hospital and our project positively impacted their lives,” Vogel said.
At the end of the event, they held a reveal of the total amount of money raised.
According to Lin, the COVID-19 pandemic posed a slight setback to the organization, but she is excited for how the organization is growing.
Lin said that “the only issue is that a lot of people don’t know about it.” Since most thons happen in the spring, they are planning to shift the event to the spring semester next year, according to Lin
The club is open to any Cornell students, and non-members can donate to the club or attend its events.
“I love fundraising. In middle school, I went door to door for hours to fundraise for world hunger,” Lin said. “It is cool that I am able to continue this at Cornell.”
Val Kim can be reached at [email protected].