After junior Tiana Blount’s aunt got diagnosed with breast cancer, she and her family helped plan a fundraiser for people with the disease. This experience ultimately inspired Blount to join Baldwin’s Mini-THON, an event that raises money to help fight childhood cancer. 

“I wanted to continue helping people, so I joined Mini-THON,” Blount said.

Blount has been a participant in the Mini-THON for the past three years. She is in charge of the Mini-THON’s social media accounts, and has used them and her personal accounts to spread awareness and get others to join this cause. 

Students and faculty are preparing for the fifth annual Mini-THON at Baldwin from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Saturday.

Baldwin’s Mini-THON has raised over $22,000 so far this year.

Many teachers and students have personal reasons for participating.

English teachers Leah Younkins and Rachel Murrman have been co-sponsors of Baldwin’s Mini-THON since the beginning.

“I went to Penn State and was a member of their dance marathon,” which is called THON and is this inspiration for high school Mini-THONs, Younkins said. “I think this is a great opportunity for Baldwin and it gives us a way to give back to others.”

Junior Elizabeth Langer has been a member of the Mini-THON for three years now. She feels as if the Mini-THON has done more than she ever imagined it could. 

“The joy people seem to get when they make a donation or when they see kids asking for money for such a great cause has really bonded our community,” Langer said. 

Junior Alexa Meyer agreed. 

“Mini-THON has been able to impact the community because we have been able to get more support from businesses in the area, which helps the community to understand more about what we are doing and why we do it,” Meyer said. 

This year, a Mini-THON class was created to plan the event and its year-long fundraising. Langer and Meyer are members of the class. 

“We focus on setting up the event, reaching out to other organizations, and learning real-life business skills while having fun,” Langer said. 

Meyer plans on taking the upcoming Mini-THON 2 class next year. 

Mini-THON traditions, such as the talent show and DJ dance, are returning this year, along with new events for students. 

“The new events include a hot dog eating contest, many sports tournaments, karaoke, and a cereal bar,” Langer said. 

Students are still able to sign up for the event. They must raise at least $50 and turn in the money to either Murrman or Younkins. 

This is the Mini-THON’s first year with a theme, and students from the class said they were excited to see a Disney theme brought to Baldwin High School.