Penn State student Christina Waight has reason to cheer. She and several others from Phi Gamma Nu fraternity, woke up before dawn and set up camp at intersections in Lancaster County on Sunday. Standing on the streets for hours in the cold, hoping drivers would be kind enough to drop money in their cans.
The money will be added to that raised at THON, a 46-hour dance marathon and given to The Four Diamonds Fund, which helps children suffering from cancer.
"I think the reason why it's so big at Penn State is that it's a common bond that we all share and every organization no matter what it is, somehow they contribute to THON," said Waight, a junior at Penn State University and member of Phi Gamma Nu, a co-ed business fraternity.
And they're not getting any credit for this. Just knowing that they helped raise money for someone that truly needs it, is enough for them.
"Fraternities, sororities, clubs, athletics. Most of them go canning and we all have the same purpose of raising money for pediatric cancer because it's such an amazing cause and we know we can make such a difference if we all work together," added Waight.
That team effort helped Alex Miller, a pediatric cancer survivor from Lancaster County. "It's a crazy experience, all those people doing stuff for kids like me, it's just amazing."
Diagnosed with Leukemia at just 11-months-old, The Four Diamonds Fund paid for all of Miller's medical costs. His family didn't have to pay a cent of the hospital bills thanks to The Four Diamonds Fund.
"It's just heartwarming to feel that kind of stuff toward people like me who had to go through stuff like that when they were a kid," added Miller.
Phi Gamma Nu raised nearly $95,000 dollars for THON last year. They're hoping to match that amount this year.
Penn State students "canned" at different locations across our area over the weekend.