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ITHACA, N.Y. – On December 7, Ithaca College will be hosting its first-ever BomberTHON to benefit Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse. The event will take place in Ithaca College's fitness center from 1-7 p.m.
 
The BomberTHON is part of a larger movement of Miracle Network Dance Marathons to benefit Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. The Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for more than 170 pediatric hospitals across North America.
 
THON is a student-run philanthropy that is committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. It provides emotional and financial support, spreads awareness and helps fund critical research, striving to find a cure.
 
Individual Ithaca College athletes as well as various varsity and club teams are involved in raising money for the upcoming event, which has a fundraising goal of $15,000 in its first year.
 
Men's soccer junior Lee Folger has been heavily involved in the planning stages of BomberTHON since the idea blossomed last year. Folger is the Chief Morale Captain for the day and will be charged with helping keep up the energetic environment. Also on the Executive Board is volleyball junior Katie Basey, who is the Co-Director of Events.
 
The idea to bring the THON to Ithaca was born last fall when Folger and Executive Director Laura Heppes were scrolling through Instagram and saw a post from Pennsylvania State University's THON. Folger had been involved in a THON during high school in North Carolina and was excited to bring the idea to South Hill.
 
Folger and Heppes went on to gather a few more friends to join the cause and officially became a club on campus last fall. The original goal had been to host BomberTHON in the spring, but due to a lengthy process, the group decided to push it to this fall to make sure it went off without a hitch.
 
Hailing from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Folger became involved in the organization in his junior year of high school when the high schools within the Chapel-Hill Carrboro School District decided to hold a THON.
 
"I really didn't know what I was doing the first year, it was just a fun thing to do and it was the district feeling it out for what it was going to be," said Folger. "I reapplied the second year and I got to have more appreciation for it. I fell in love with it."
 
In its first year, the BomberTHON has a fundraising goal of $15,000, which is all done through the Children's Miracle Network website called Donor Drive. Individuals as well as teams and other organizations each have specific pages in an effort to reach that goal.
 
"Our fundraising goal is $15,000. We are excited about that and we think we are going to blow it out of the water, but we wanted to set something achievable in our first year," said Folger. "If you don't handle it right in the first year, it can die before it really gets a chance to get going and we want to make sure that our first year is a big hit."
 
Among those teams involved in fundraising efforts are the women's crew team, which has already achieved its $1,500 fundraising goal. Men's lacrosse, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's soccer, men's soccer, women's track and field and cross country, women's tennis, field hockey, football and men's track and field have all raised money for the BomberTHON. Additionally, individual athletes from other sports such as volleyball have been heavy contributors to the fundraising efforts.
 
Held in the fitness center, there will be food and performances from various groups on campus with the hope to create a fun environment for those in attendance while raising money for a great cause.
 
"The idea is that you are on your feet the whole time," said Folger. "You dance for kids who can't, that is the fundamental idea of it. Everyone is standing the whole time and it is six hours of dancing and singing. It is just a really fun way for everyone to come together and give back to the community."
 
Ultimately, it is Folger's hope that the BomberTHON grows into an annual event that people are excited to attend and unites the campus community.
 
"This is something that once you do it, you really kind of fall in love with it," said Folger. "Hopefully it will eventually grow into something that everyone is excited for when they get here. I want it to grow into something here where when kids apply to IC, it is something that is show to prospective students because it is something that really chances lives and is so fun to be a part of."
 
The BomberTHON will take place on December 7 from 1-7 p.m. in the fitness center. Those who would like to donate to the event can do so HERE.