THON 2012 Overall ❖

Overall Morale Chairperson

Name: Gen Goldsmith

Year: Senior

Major: Psychology, Neuroscience Option

Fun fact about Genifer: I never broke a bone until I was 20... and then I broke 4 and got hit by a car all in one year!

Favorite THON memory: Every time I am asked this question I never know how to answer it; every moment at THON is incredible. If I have to pick though I would have to narrow it down to these two:                         

1. My Junior year as a moraler it was my goal to get all the dancers to continuously stretch; massages actually are counteractive for them whereas stretching is beneficial. I would lead stretch groups from anywhere to 3-20 people at once. Eventually I got the name Stretch Queen by a bunch of dancers who I was constantly stretching back in Dancer Storage. A bunch of them started to track me down and ask me to stretch them because they were hitting a wall. During the last four hours I was on the floor checking on dancers and all of the sudden I heard Stretch Queen being called behind me. As I turned I realized that one of the male dancers, someone I had not known before this weekend had found me. He told me he was not doing well and asked if I would stretch with him. Looking at his face I could tell he was not lying; he looked like he was about to quit. I took him into the back Dancer Storage and lead him in a stretch routine. Afterwards I got him a banana to get his energy up and as I peeled it for him and handed it to him he turned to me and said that he would not have made it through the weekend if it were not for me. I almost broke down at this point. It was one of the first times that I realized that I could make a difference for the dancers, even one that was not “my dancer” and I did not know. To me the dancers stand for 46 hours to show the families that we are here with them; for 46 hours we will take on their pain and allow them a carefree weekend. So the fact that I can help a dancer make it through the 46 hours is my way of showing these families, at least for that weekend that we are here for them, always.

2. Another favorite memory of mine was this past THON when I got to perform the Line Dance on stage, with my fellow captains, for the first time. The energy in the BJC was astounding and everyone’s reaction to it was more than we could have asked for. It was a moment that represented our year together and embracing each other afterwards was the perfect start to THON for me. 

Contact Genifer: morale@thon.org