Inside the Heart and Soul of Elonthon With Erin Plamondon

Erin Plamondon, a current sophomore who is the director of corporate partnerships and catering for Elonthon, talked to us about how things changed this year. The last in-person Elonthon was in 2019, but the organization saw success this year that fueled excitement for years to come. 

Q: How did you get involved with Elonthon?

A: I’ve always known about dance marathon experiences and living outside of Philly, the great amount of fundraising that Penn State University does for childhood cancer was something that I always admired. I also have a deeper connection to the cause because one of my close family friends lost his battle with brain cancer 10 years ago. Ever since then, I’ve always been involved in fundraising efforts for childhood cancer. Then, once I found out about Elonthon, I knew it was something I wanted to be involved with. Last year, I was on the Public Relations (PR) committee which involved posting graphics to their Instagram, but I really wanted to get more involved. I then applied and became the director of corporate partnerships and catering. 

Q: As this year’s director of corporate partnerships and catering, what did these jobs entail? 

A: It involved lots of emails and phone calls! I reached out to national partners that we have worked with in the past, such as Love’s, Coke, Silent Events, and additional local partners like the Mission. I would send them a packet with all of the different levels of being a donor. These partners would also get something from us in return–whether that was social media promotion or having their name on the back of the tshirts, etc. For catering, I set up profit shares throughout the year, and was in charge of getting food for the event. Participants were at our event for 13.1 hours so we provided them with two meals and two snacks. Feeding over 700 people was overwhelming, but we were able to partner with restaurants like Dominoes, Texas Roadhouse, Mellow Mushroom, Red Lobster, Krispy Kreme, and more which made it possible.  

Q: It’s no secret that Elonthon looks much different this year than the last. What were you most excited for this year?

A: I was very excited for our event to be in person because that hasn’t happened since 2019. In 2019, it was a 24 hour event so this time, with 13.1 hours, we had to rework a lot. I loved being able to have the opportunity to be a part of that transition since I was able to have a say in how things operated. Also, I was so excited to meet the kids in person! Only two were able to attend since Elon had lifted the mask mandate, but meeting them was incredible.

Q: How would you compare your experience with Elonthon last year to this year?

A: It was completely different. Last year, I attended weekly meetings and posted sporadically on the Elonthon Instagram. However, this year I was able to get super invested, and had the chance to bond with people with people I probably never would have otherwise. Also, I gained a lot of confidence working with business owners so closely which was definitely a step out of my comfort zone. The leadership experience that I gained this year was like none other because instead of being a part of a committee like last time, I led one myself. 

Q: What was the biggest challenge going into elonthon this year?

A: It definitely was COVID. A lot of businesses are still struggling from the detrimental results of the pandemic and are having some supply chain issues. They all got hit so hard, so budgets were much tighter and it became difficult to find people to donate. It was really hard to hear no constantly before I was able to find success.

Q: What was the most rewarding part of the experience?

A: Honestly, being there and seeing all of the work we put into it come to life was incredible and the reveal was so rewarding. I was really hoping for a triple digit number, and we raised over $134,000 and I’m still getting checks! Seeing all of our hard work pay off, and knowing that we did it, was a feeling that was unmatched. 

Q: If you had to give advice to anyone who is considering becoming a part of the whole Elonthon experience, what would it be?

A: Apply Apply Apply! For staff, the earlier you can get involved the better! Applying early helps to keep you involved throughout the year. If you are looking to be surrounded by people who are passionate and want to make a difference while having a good time, Elonthon is the place for you. 

Elonthon is an on-campus student run organization that always has room for more people to get involved! If interested, do not hesitate to reach out and work for an incredible cause. 

Photo provided courtesy of Erin Plamondon.