Members of the Penn Manor High School (PMHS) Mini-THON club will host a Trunk or Treat event on Monday, Oct. 30, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the school's athletic parking lot, which is located at 100 E. Cottage Ave., Millersville. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be moved inside the school gymnasium.

Students representing various clubs and sports teams will participate in the Trunk or Treat by handing out sweets to youngsters, who are encouraged to wear costumes and bring their own bags. The volunteers will also accept monetary donations from parents and guardians, and all proceeds from the event will benefit Four Diamonds at the Penn State Health Children's Hospital.

Last year, PMHS' Mini-THON club held its first Trunk or Treat to raise awareness for Four Diamonds in addition to raising money for the hospital. Members of the community responded to the first event with a wave of support; students received more donations than they anticipated, prompting the return of the fundraiser this year. "We wanted to find a new way to promote Four Diamonds," said BJ Kramer, adviser for Mini-THON club and a health and physical education teacher at PMHS. "Some kids don't know about what they do over at the children's hospital in Hershey."

Mini-THON club hosts a variety of other fundraisers throughout the year. In addition to the main Mini-THON event in February, the club hosts student-versus-teacher basketball games and an annual Gold Out football game, for which members of Mini-THON sell gold T-shirts. Students are encouraged to wear the gold shirts to show support for Four Diamonds and to raise awareness of childhood cancer. During "Four Minutes for Four Diamonds" at halftime, volunteers collect donations from attendees throughout the stadium.

Mini-THON club's primary fundraiser is an annual donation drive and dance marathon that will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, this year. During the event, students stay and stand as long as they can to raise money for the fight against childhood cancer. The fundraiser also incorporates refreshments and games and activities such as laser tag and bounce houses.

Kramer helped start Mini-THON club at PMHS nine years ago after she was approached by one of her students. For the first year, Mini-THON functioned as a part of Student Council, which Kramer was an adviser for. Student interest in the club grew quickly, and Mini-THON became a separate group that comprises more than 100 students. "I think the students have a passion and desire to help other kids, and you can see that," Kramer said. "Some have friends who fought or lost a battle to cancer, and others really enjoy coming together in February to celebrate our efforts throughout the year."