Campus Life

Gettysburg Rocks event to support Penn State Mont Alto THON

Penn State Mont Alto benefitting THON 2016 Credit: Donna Rhodes / Penn State. Creative Commons

During the Gettysburg Rocks event Feb. 4–6, the live performances of more than 172 bands in and around Gettysburg will help conquer childhood cancer by assisting children treated at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital and their families. Admission is free at all venues with 100 percent of the donations going to the Four Diamonds Fund in care of Penn State Mont Alto benefiting THON. Formally named The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, THON is a year-long fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against pediatric cancer.The event kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 4 with 172 bands performing at a dozen venues in the Gettysburg area. The live music continues on Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6.Multiple genres of music will be performed including rock, country, blues, Americana, Reggae, punk, metal, pop, classic rock, and more. For a complete list of shows, including times, schedules and all bands performing, visit www.gburgrocks.com.In 2015, the Penn State Mont Alto benefiting THON group raised $101,948 to fight pediatric cancer. Gettysburg Rocks was instrumental in helping the THON group’s record-breaking effort, along with numerous event fundraisers, canning weekends, and a THON 5K at University Park. In fact, Penn State Mont Alto benefiting THON group was second among the Commonwealth Campuses for funds raised.Gettysburg Rocks is the brainchild of Gettysburg musician, music promoter and radio personality Rob Simon (aka Bald Rob), who had the idea of holding a multiple venue festival in the town of Gettysburg, until his daughter, Ashley Simon, then a student at Penn State Mont Alto, asked him to help her with a fundraiser for Penn State Mont Alto’s THON group. The festival has proved to be popular and is now a bi-annual music festival and fundraiser, occurring both in February and August. Since the creation of the event, Gettysburg Rocks has raised over $45,000 for The Four Diamonds Fund, according to its website.Some members of Penn State Mont Alto benefiting THON group will express their appreciation and share their THON experiences at the event as well as Dan and Holly Lightner, parents of Evan and Austin Lightner—Austin was adopted as the Penn State Mont Alto THON child. This year, Penn State Mont Alto benefiting THON also has the honor of representing two additional families—the Caitlin Carey family and the Marcu Josey family. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. Since 1977, it has raised more than $127 million benefiting The Four Diamonds Fund, which is the sole beneficiary of THON’s fundraising efforts.

For more information about THON, go to www.thon.org.

Last Updated November 1, 2016