Bethlehem Catholic's fourth annual Mini-THON, an event which raises money for pediatric cancer, will be held Feb. 13. Mini-THON is an event held in our gym where students must dance and not sit down for 12 hours straight. This year's theme is "Together Without Limits."

Mini-THON is a much-anticipated affair. It is a night filled with dancing, activities and above all a dedication to help fight pediatric cancer. We dance for the kids who can't.

Mini-THON is based on Penn State's THON, which has been going on for 37 years. The Penn State THON raises awareness of pediatric cancer and all the money raised goes towards the financial support of families, researchers and the staff at The Four Diamonds Fund. Our Mini-THON may be smaller, but it is filled with love, passion and above all determination to end pediatric cancer.

The organizing team of Mini-THON is comprised of eight committees. The eight committees are: Entertainment, Finance, Fundraising, Hospitality, Morale, Operations, Public Relations and Security. The chair head of mini-THON is Ryan Schmidt. I sat down with Ryan and asked him what it was like being the chairperson of such a great event.

"Being chairperson is a great honor that comes with tremendous responsibility," he said. "As chair, it is my obligation to do whatever it takes to reach our goal of $65,000 for the kids at Hershey Medical Center. I am surrounded by 18 dedicated committee heads that work tirelessly all year to achieve this goal and make the event exciting and entertaining.

"While leading any event of this caliber, the best thing one can do is work to help the people surrounding them reach their greatest capabilities. This is what I strive to do. Whether I am making suggestions or assisting in the execution of many ideas, my role is nothing without the help of the committee heads and other committee members. Without their hard work the event would not be successful.

"This year's goal is $65,000. Each year we strive to earn more than the last, and so far we have. The committee members spend countless hours fundraising, donating and spreading the message around town that we are dancing for a cure. These students have dedicated their senior year to give of their time and effort to help fight for these children."

The most common thing asked of people who participate in mini-THON is "What does THON mean to you?" I interviewed some committee heads to see just why these students are so passionate about the cause.

Senior Hannah Cummings is head of the Morale Committee and she said, "THON to me is dancing for those who cannot. I love coming together as a community and raising money for such a great cause. As a person who had a friend with childhood cancer, this event is so much closer to my heart. I love being a part of finding a cure for these kids."

Head of Hospitality and senior Olivia Rosati said, "To me, THON means coming together as a school community for a common cause. While dancing for 12 hours, we are able to make memories to last us a lifetime. It amazes me that over 500 high school students can do something as big as helping cure pediatric cancer."

As you can see, the Bethlehem Catholic community is passionate for this cause, making it such a beautiful and memorable evening.

We have many upcoming fundraisers and events in support of Bethlehem Catholic's mini-THON, that we would hope many of you could attend and donate. On Dec. 5, we will be holding a fundraiser at Chipotle at the Lehigh Valley Mall. With every meal you buy, 50 percent of the proceeds are donated towards Beca's mini-THON. On Dec. 23, we will host a Revolutions bowling night to raise more money for the cause.

Beca will dance to find a cure.