While some may view a Nintendo 64 as simply a gaming device, others play with a deeper purpose.

Andrew Link, ‘15 Eng, grew up playing N64 games, from Mario Kart 64 to GoldenEye 007. In 2020, Andrew along with three friends, decided that, instead of playing for entertainment's sake, they would play to raise funds and awareness for those battling childhood cancer. 

“[Me, Alex, John, and John] have diverse backgrounds and went to Penn State for different degrees, but it turns out that anyone can wake up with an idea that they are passionate about and put it into action,” Andrew said. “The Game-A-THON is proof of that.”

The Game-A-THON is a THON Nation livestream alumni engagement event where Penn State alumni play Nintendo 64 for 24 hours straight directly from the N64 console, and viewers and participants are invited to donate money for the players to perform fun tasks and challenges. Inspiration for the event name and content stems from Andrew’s involvement in the 46-hour Penn State Dance Marathon (THON™) during his time as a student in 2014 and 2015. 

“In these two short years, I was able to witness the overwhelming passion for a greater cause run entirely by students. Unfortunately, this two-year tenure and involvement was not nearly enough time. I found myself wanting to do more, or give back, and wasn’t sure in which way to do so until I stumbled upon Penn State’s THON Nation alumni page, which helped make that process a lot easier,” Andrew said. “Ultimately, it is the selfless energy and effort that goes into Penn State THON year after year that truly guided me to choose Penn State THON as the beneficiary.”

Since its inception in 2020, the Game-A-THON has grown from a few local and familiar viewers to hundreds of unique viewers who tune in to the stream and participate in the full 24 hours — all For The Kids®.

“It began with us four participants wanting to share our enjoyment of the N64 with everyone else who thought it would be fun to watch us play,” Andrew said. “Our friend, Ben, has also stepped up to help support the digital art on the stream to create a sharp and sleek atmosphere for the viewers.”

After raising more than $1,400 in its first year, Game-A-THON raised upwards of $6,600 in 2021 and $7,300 in 2022.

In the spring following THON Weekend 2022, Andrew’s Game-A-THON was recognized as the DMAIG Alumni Fundraiser of the Year for the dedication, growth and success of the event.

“I was ecstatic,” Andrew said. “It was recognition that I, and the team, was not expecting at all. From being nominated to being awarded, what this means to me is proof that some ideas are meant to be invested into and shared with the world. If you have a good feeling about something, don’t just sit around and wait for anything to come to you. Go ahead and put yourself out there, talk about it and make something happen! After all, that’s how THON started in 1978.”

He continued, “The Game-A-THON is a mixture of my passion, the team's passion, and the participants' passion to ultimately serve a common goal to raise money to benefit critical research in pursuit of a cure for childhood cancer. We have learned so many lessons from creating this event and putting energy into it each year, and this award is the cherry on top. The award sits front and center on my desktop as a catalyst to keep moving it forward for years to come.”

Now Andrew’s sights are set on Game-A-THON’s goal for 2023 – raising $10,000. 

Now that the team is no longer constrained to a one-bedroom apartment, they hope to host more people in-person and provide opportunities to participate in a live raffle, auctions, and prizes, and even play the games live on camera. 

Andrew encourages anyone interested to follow the Game-A-THON pages for live updates and to tune into the stream. 

“The overwhelming support from family, friends, coworkers and complete strangers (not strangers any more) who were inclined to participate in the overall experience has been amazing,” he said. “And on a personal note, I’ve realized the passion I have for this event, and the cause it benefits, is the main driver to continue this event year after year. This is something I look forward to and reflect upon year-round to provide a better event for the year ahead.” 

Learn more and follow Game-A-THON:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitch 

Held in the White Building, more than 300 couples participated in the 1980 version of THON, raising more than $86,000. Leading that charge was Overall Chair, Mike Richardson, ’81 Bus, who describes that role as “one of the proudest experiences I’ve had in my life.”

Fast forward: THON 2020 was held in the Bryce Jordan Center with more than 700 dancer couples, raising $11,696.942.38. 

Returning for the first time in 40 years, Richardson was back to see it. 

“As a dancer in 1979 and Overall Chair in 1980, I saw the early power of the event and the way it pulled the campus and individuals together around a common goal and effort. There was a purpose, and pride, when you were either involved or aware of THON,” Richardson said. “To see the growth and breadth of the event 40 years later only confirms what I experienced in those early years.”

​As Richardson approached semi-retirement, he knew he wanted to give back in a charitable way and immediately thought of THON. That is when he decided to go back to THON this past year on his 40th anniversary as chair. 

 “I was blown away by the growth and professionalism and spirit of the event and the effort and enthusiasm of the students. This role [the Alumni Events Director] opened a few months later and I knew I had to apply,” Richardson said. 

In August, Richardson was elected to the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group’s Board of Directors as the Alumni Events Director. This role is responsible for uniting and inspiring fundraising events from THON alumni across the country/world and works closely with the THON Alumni Engagement Director and Penn State Alumni Association Chapters. 

Richardson hopes to help alumni event leaders with sharing of best practices, publicizing successes, and creating and refining tools for new events, so that there is a toolkit for these leaders.  

“Working together and supporting each event against the backdrop and challenge of fundraising in our current environment will be critical for the next several months until we have a vaccine [for COVID-19],” Richardson said. 

Many skills and experiences that Richardson had with THON impacted his life after college – working in teams, leading teams, public speaking and event planning to name a few. Over the last 20 years, which included a great deal of travel with work, he was often shocked at how many non-Penn Staters had heard of THON. 

“It has grown into something I certainly didn’t imagine in my earlier years,” he said. 

Reminiscing on his entire experience, Richardson recalls his most impactful connection – one his committee established with a Four Diamonds family and their son who was diagnosed with cancer. 

“Tragically he passed away after that year's THON,” Richardson said. “But the empathy and caring both sides showed to each other is something I've tried to carry into all of my interactions with people.” 

To learn more about the DMAIG Board of Directors, click here. 

Are you interested in continuing your involvement in THON?  
Are you passionate about inspiring fellow alumni to take action in the fight against childhood cancer? 
If so, consider applying to join the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group (DMAIG) Board of Directors. 
 
DMAIG is a Penn State Alumni Association chartered Alumni Interest Group.  The Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group (DMAIG) leads a passionate community of alumni who create and promote opportunities to raise awareness, volunteer time, and provide philanthropic support to champion the efforts of THON.
 
We are currently accepting applications for the Alumni Events Director, who is charged with uniting and inspiring fundraising events from THON alumni across the country and globe.
 
Alumni Event Relations duties include:

• Coordinate with THON’s Alumni Engagement Director on yearly standard operating procedures and registration for all alumni events 
• Create awareness around DMAIG benefits for alumni events (i.e. press releases, social media support, PSAA and THON connectivity, etc.)
• Provide best practices, background, and experience as a resource for individuals, groups, chapters, and boards planning events
• Compile and maintain event data for tracking progress
• Connect alumni event leadership for “think tank” sessions
• Create and maintain informational placemat on how to start an event
• Develop and maintain policies for DMAIG sponsorship in lieu of local PSAA chapter support
• Coordinate communications amongst chapters, AIGs, commonwealth campuses, and individuals who wish to plan or have planned events in the past
• Collaborate with DMAIG Public Relations Director to advertise alumni events and write post-event recaps
• Develop policies for DMAIG Sponsorship and the placemat for how alumni can start an event.  

 
Visit this link to learn more and to apply. Applications are due June 14, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. 
 
With any questions, please email secretary@dmaig.org.