 We are thrilled to share the 10th Annual Hope From Coast to Coast (HFC2C) 2026 campaign, presented by the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group (DMAIG). Established in 2016, HFC2C has been a beacon of support for Penn State THON™ (THON), empowering alumni to make an impact beyond their time as students. To date, our community has collectively run over 6,800 miles and generously donated over $140,000 to THON—all in the pursuit of finding a cure for childhood cancer.
What's New in 2026 This year, HFC2C expands beyond a single event to become a year-long initiative leading up to THON and beyond. Participants can engage through a variety of activities designed to foster community, fitness, and philanthropy. How You Can Get Involved
However you choose to get involved, we invite you to connect with our community on Facebook and Strava. These platforms offer a great way to stay engaged, share your progress, and support one another throughout the campaign. For more information and to get involved, visit dmaig.org/hfc2c. Let's continue spreading hope, one step at a time!
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 Over the years, many of our alumni and Chapter/AIG members have reached out hoping to start or grow a fundraiser in support of THON. Whether you’re launching your first event or expanding an existing one, it can be difficult to know where to start!
Some of the most common questions we receive include:
The answer to these questions and others you may have are - yes! We have developed a number of guides and resources over the past few years to help you plan your next fundraiser. 1. Alumni Group Fundraising Guide This comprehensive guide covers everything from how to start a fundraiser to what support groups are available to help you get up and running. It also includes over 10 pages of fundraising ideas! 2. Creating a THON Fundraiser: A Step-by-Step Guide This detailed resource walks you through every stage of the process, including:
3. Social Media and Sponsor Outreach Planning Your online presence can make a huge difference in the success of your event! We’ve developed a Social Media Planning Guide to help you engage supporters and ensure your campaigns are consistent with THON’s branding. 4. Inspiration from Current Alumni Events Looking for ideas from fellow alumni groups? Check out the list of current alumni-led THON fundraisers on the DMAIG Events page. These events vary in size, format, and fundraising totals. Several have attached links to their event websites that you can use as reference. We’re Here to Help You’re never on your own in this process! If you have questions, need guidance, or want to brainstorm ideas, please reach out to:
Ready to Get Started? Every dollar raised by the THON Alumni Community plays a direct role in championing THON’s efforts and continuing the fight against childhood cancer. Together, we can continue to grow our alumni impact, expand awareness, and bring hope to families. Forever, FTK®. We raised just over $57k last year and had about 125 attendees. The evening is a cocktail hour, sit down dinner, silent auction, guest speakers and dancing. On March 23, 2024, The Hope Gala celebrated a very special milestone in our organization's history: 15 years in pursuit of a cure! This year, the incredible Hope Gala community once again gathered in New York City's historic Gotham Hall to raise funds for the fight against childhood cancer. We welcomed speaker Greta Bomgardner to the stage, where she touched the hearts of everyone in the room when sharing her son Gus' cancer journey. At 2 years old, Gus was diagnosed with ATRT, a rare and aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer. He recently celebrated 2 years cancer-free! Later in the evening, we heard from Dr. Colin Hayes — a childhood cancer survivor, Penn State grad and current pediatric resident at the University of Michigan — who called live via Zoom to show first-hand the impact our community can make against cancer. The evening culminated with $267,264.16 raised For The Kids! The Penn State Lehigh Valley Alumni Society held its 12th annual, award-winning, Dance for a Cure fundraiser on Saturday, January 27th, 2024 at the Penn State Lehigh ValleyCampus, 2809 Saucon Valley Rd, Center Valley, Pennsylvania, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Dance for a Cure featured dance lessons from professional instructors in different styles offered throughout the evening. Attendees, regardless of skill level, were encouraged to participate. Attendees explored different locations within the campus’ main building and had the opportunity to participate in dances such as the Kuchipudi dance, East Coast Swing, Native American, and country line dance. In addition, there are new body-moving experiences such as hip-hop yoga, partner acrobatics, and the Garrison Carida Event Team’s Storm Troopers as well as the beloved Nittany Lion. To continue the fun, guests bid on the ever-growing silent auction and participate in multiple raffles throughout the night. Guests enjoyed fantastic food and beverages throughout the evening from local establishments such as Weyerbacher Brewing, Cactus Blue, Aman's, NY Stromboli Pizza. This is the first year that the fundraiser was held at the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus, which offered additional space for guests to interact with local businesses and community partners. The event's Premier Sponsor, PSECU, was present in the campus’ Center Hall so PSU LV students and Dance for a Cure ticket holders witnessed their commitment to the fight against pediatric cancer. Dance for a Cure’s 2024 raised $19,400 to benefit Penn State’s Dance Marathon and the Four Diamonds Fund, THON’s sole beneficiary. Volunteers such as the Co-founder and Executive Chairman, Christopher Bogden, have been lifelong supporters of Penn State and THON’s mission and tirelessly organize this event for the Four Diamond families. The Hoglund's, a Four Diamonds family, shared their story about how THON’s efforts have affected their lives as their child battled a cancer diagnosis. Tickets for this year's event were $45.00 and included access to every dance lesson on PSU’s campus as well as the food and beverage. For more information on how to volunteer, participate or become a sponsor, email [email protected]. |
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