A couple posts back I mentioned Reilley and Eddy Barringer, who were raising money locally for Pennsylvania State University's efforts to conquer childhood cancer.

The final step in their year-long effort was this weekend, as thousands of Penn State students packed the school's basketball arena for a 46-hour dance marathon. I wanted to pass along a quick update.

Collectively, The Daily Collegian reports, Penn State students helped raise $10,686,924.83 for childhood cancer treatment and research. That's a record high.

Kathleen Barringer, Reilley and Eddy's mom, told me the kids raised just shy of $5,000 by holding a coin drop and Italian dinner earlier this month.

"This was enough to put their organization's total higher than last year's and they held on to fourth place among the hundreds of Penn State organizations raising money for THON," she wrote in an e-mail.

Add a few hundred canning drives like that around the country and it's not too difficult to see how they got to that number.

Another Penn State student newspaper, Onward State, did a neat video where they slapped a helmet cam on one of the dancers. It starts just shy of the final reveal and gives you a pretty good idea of just how excited the kids were – and what you contributed to if you donated.


Kathleen and her husband drove down to State College to be a part of THON weekend. Her e-mail popped into my inbox early this afternoon, as she and her husband were driving back.

"We are wiped out," Kathleen wrote, "but the weekend was beyond inspiring."

Until next time,

MC

Reilley and Eddy Barringer are two of some 15,000 Penn State students involved with THON, which holds a two-day dance marathon on the school's main campus each February to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer treatment and research.

I wrote about the Ballston Spa brother and sister's involvement with the world's largest student-run philanthropy – and how their own family's lives have been touched by cancer – not too long ago. You can read that story here.

They were in downtown Saratoga Springs last weekend, holding coin drops in front of local businesses during Chowderfest. This Saturday, they're hosting an Italian Dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Saratoga Springs. Proceeds from the event will benefit THON, which has raised more than $78 million over the past four decades.

Here's a video that showcases what THON is all about:

The dinner will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, children 10 and under are free. You can purchase tickets at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 50 Pine Road, either in advance or at the door. You can also secure seats by calling 796-4021, or by e-mailing davebarringerny@yahoo.com. Online donations can be made here.

I ran into Eddy Barringer during Chowderfest and asked him what it was like being down in State College when legendary football coach Joe Paterno passed away last month. He told me that he was one of the thousands of students who lined the streets for Paterno's funeral procession.

He couldn't believe how quiet the students got when they saw the procession -- particularly Joe Paterno's wife occupying her late husband's seat on the football team bus. I found a YouTube that conveys the moment better than I can.

It was surreal, he said.

I'd argue the work the THON volunteers do is just as unbelievable.

Until next time,

MC

Lots of news in tomorrow's paper about budget amendments, solar panels and the county technology committee, but here's something you won't see in print.

The asking price of Deborah Thompson's house at 71 Thompson Street (not a typo) in Ballston Spa has been lowered again, dropping to $89,900. You can see the listing here.

Thompson, wife of former Milton Supervisor Frank, has pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny for stealing nearly $30,000 from an elderly woman while acting as the woman's legal guardian. She has been ordered to pay the victim restitution and has said she would sell her home to come up with the money. Frank Thompson has been cleared of wrongdoing.

She was supposed to have paid the victim restitution by December, but the house didn't sell. The judge rescheduled her sentencing date to March 13 and issued an ultimatum:

If Deborah Thompson does not pay at least $10,000 in restitution to the victim and have a plan to pay the remainder, pay $2,152 in back taxes and visit a state-licensed psychologist to evaluate her gambling addiction by that date, the plea agreement is off the table.

In addition, (Prosecutor Louise) Sira said she will seek jail time on the original charge of third-degree grand larceny, a felony that carries a potential sentence of 2-1/3 to 7 years in state prison.

This, by my count, is the home's fifth price drop. Deborah Thompson's attorney has told me the price on the home dropped three times between $139,000 and $114,900. It then plummeted to $94,900 following her court appearance in December.

I couldn't get a hold of Thompson's attorney today, but he's previously said that he'd do everything in his power to ensure his client does not see jail time. I left Sira a message and will update this post if she calls back.
  
It's entirely possible that Deborah Thompson has paid up, but there was no indication at that December court appearance that she had any other way of coming up with the $29,259 in restitution money other than selling her home

Until next time,

MC