Penn State is a family tradition for many alumni, with new generations becoming Nittany Lions. For some alumni, THON is as much of a tradition as Penn State is. For the Raneri Family, their passion for THON has continued to grow over the years. Heather, class of 1995, and Emily and Brian, class of 2026, have been incredibly involved in THON throughout their time at Penn State.
Heather grew up in State College, where she got involved in her school’s Mini-THON. She attended THON as a supporter during her freshman year at Penn State and knew she wanted to do more. She spent her sophomore year as an OPPerations Committee Member, her junior year as a Morale (now Dancer Relations) Committee Member, and her senior year as a dancer for Kappa Phi service sorority!
When Emily and Brian’s older brother Kevin was in the Blue Band, the family gathered to watch the THON Pep Rally livestream. Watching the magic of THON Weekend, Emily was inspired to get involved. She says, “there was no way I was going to go to Penn State and not be involved in THON, so I signed up to be a volunteer right away.” Emily began her THON journey as a Rules and Regulations committee member. She then served as a Family Relations Captain as a sophomore and a Dancer Relations Captain as a junior. You may have seen her lead the Line Dance at THON 2025! Emily is a Family Relations Captain as a senior, where she is a New Family Contact in charge of welcoming new families to the THON community!
Brian is a part of Penn State’s Blue Band Benefitting THON and danced in THON 2026. He and his organization have gotten to know their three partnered THON families by scheduling Zoom calls and making cards. Brian’s favorite THON memory was having a water gun fight with the Emmett Herring and Westin Martin families on the floor. He had a blast spending time with the families and making their first THON Weekend as fun as possible! Brian also loved leading families in learning different student section dances with the Blue Band through THON Explorers. He loved watching the kids come together and have fun while showing their Penn State spirit.
Emily’s favorite THON memory was celebrating Emmett Herring ring the bell with him and his family. After ringing the bell, The Herring Family celebrated Emmett kicking cancer’s “axe” with an axe-throwing party. Through being a Family Relations Captain, Emily has seen the love for THON grow in new families. “What a lot of them don’t realize is that THON will be there for them for the rest of their life, as long as they want it to be.” She also loved performing with Ella Wickenheiser at the THON Talent Show. They performed a dance number to “Let it Grow” from The Lorax, and the act was a hit!
One of Heather’s favorite THON memories was at THON 2024, while supporting Emily and Brian. She met the father of a THON child, and she mentioned that she was a volunteer and a dancer when she was a student. The father immediately expressed his gratitude, explaining that the money raised years ago helped his daughter beat cancer. Heather knows “what [THON] used to be, how it’s changed, and how much it’s grown, but so much of it is still the same.” At THON 2026, Heather treasured watching her family’s support for each other. Brian, Emily, and Kevin were constantly cheering and helping each other through the challenging moments. From slides of strength to the Line Dance, many traditions of THON will never change. The tradition of family, community, love, and support continues through each generation of THON.
THON™ is able to donate 96 cents of every dollar raised to Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital because of supporters like you. Your generosity creates moments of joy for Four Diamonds children and families and empowers our volunteers through year-round events, fundraisers and THON Weekend.
