Local collections begin Dec. 2 for Thiel College fraternity’s 55th annual fundraising walk

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College fraternity Phi Theta Phi began raising funds Nov. 23 in preparation for the organization’s 55th annual Walk-A-Thon on Dec. 6 to raise money for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Fraternity members, friends, and alumni will collect donations during the walk for the Free Care Fund, which provides free treatment to all UPMC families in need.

Prior to the 100-mile walk, members attended Light Up Night in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 23 to start the collections.

Phi Theta Phi members will collect donations in Conneaut Lake (Monday, Dec. 2); Sharon (Tuesday, Dec. 3); Mercer (Wednesday, Dec. 4) and Greenville (Thursday, Dec. 5) before departing for the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in the morning on Dec. 6.

“The Phi Theta Phi Walk-A-Thon is truly a life-changing experience for all involved parties. In my time as an active/alumni brother of this local organization, I can’t tell you the number of times I have been stopped on the street by a car passing by or a pedestrian walking down a sidewalk who said, ‘My child was saved by the free care fund of Children’s Hospital. I can’t thank you enough for what you are doing. You saved my child’s life.’ That has a deep impact on me. We save lives one step at a time,” said Thiel College alumnus and Phi Theta Phi member John Ganiear ’22.

At 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6, fraternity members will depart for Freeport, where they will stay the night following Day 1, and then continue their trek to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville on Dec. 7.

Phi Theta Phi has raised more than $1.9 million since the first walk in 1968. Phi Theta Phi began at Thiel College as a local fraternity in 1966. Two years later, the fraternity started a tradition that has become one of the most successful Greek philanthropy efforts in the College’s history. The first Walk-a-thon was in 1968 and raised $1,100. In 2014, Phi Theta Phi was recognized as one of the Top 10 donors to the Fund. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania Senate have cited the chapter for its service, and in 2002, the Association of Fundraising Professionals acknowledged them as an outstanding philanthropic organization. In 2015, the fraternity was recognized for the walk-a-thon with a Service to Thiel Award. They were also recognized by the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital in 2019 for their contributions. As part of the walk, the fraternity annually appears on Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA to present their donation.

Related Links

• Phi Theta Phi at Thiel
• Thiel College students talk about importance of their organization’s of philanthropy

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