Good works and a great celebration.

The Lampeter-Strasburg (L-S) High School Mini-THON committee will host a get-together from 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, to 6 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. The festivities will take place in the school gym and other areas of the building.

There will be a three-on-three basketball tournament in the gym, arts and crafts, a variety show, and a station where attendees can make cards for Four Diamonds patients. "It's in the middle of the night when most people are pretty tired, but (the students) try to keep the energy up and keep people involved, not wanting to go to bed or go on their phones," said Ainsli Goodrich, who is co-president of the L-S Mini-THON club. "I think it's important because it gets the whole student body together for a big event, and it also spreads awareness for pediatric cancer. And it just helps the kids."

Club co-president Annie Kirumba stated, "Getting the school involved really brings to light how much of a struggle pediatric cancer is. Staying up from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. is supposed to be hard, but it's not a fraction of how hard fighting cancer is. It brings awareness, and by getting everyone involved, you can raise more money."

The event is only for L-S students, but members of the community can contribute to the fundraising efforts by going to https://fourdiamonds.donordrive.com/lampstrashsminithon2026.

The Mini-THON committee holds activities throughout the school year to raise money. "In the fall, we have a gold-gold football game, where we sell gold T-shirts because gold is the color of pediatric cancer (awareness), and then the student section wears those shirts, and that money also goes to Four Diamonds," said Annie.

On "Pioween," students who dress in a costume can pay $2 to attend a Halloween party, where they play games, eat snacks, and watch a Halloween movie before having a costume contest.

Club members convene regularly. "We meet on Flex 2 (periods) in the cafeteria with a big planning committee," Annie said. "We start the meetings by saying hello and giving updates, and then we split off into different committees." One committee plans Diamond Days, spirit days leading up to the Mini-THON. Another group organizes a school-wide "lip dub," where everyone in the school comes into the hallways to make a music video.

The Mini-THON committee cannot do it alone. "I'd like give a shoutout to our PTO and our teachers and coaches," said Shehan. "They give a ton of food donations and also help with chaperoning. We're very grateful for their support. Our committee oversees everything, and most of the clubs in the school step up to run some sort of activity. We're like the coordinators of the event, but all of the different clubs and sports teams all pitch in."

Four Diamonds reports it has assisted 100% of the childhood cancer patients treated at Penn State Health Children's Hospital.

"It's a local pediatric cancer center with an oncology unit," Shehan said. "They also have a research facility where they're working to find cures and treatments. For any kid that's a Four Diamonds kid, they have social workers that work with their insurance companies, so the families never get a bill. The money we raise helps the families focus on care for their children, and not the medical expenses that come with it."