When Lower Dauphin High School (LDHS) teachers Scott Payonk and Michael Layser decided to hold a fundraiser for the school's Mini-THON, of which they are co-advisers, they set a goal to raise $2,424, representing the fact that they planned to run 24 miles in 24 hours to complete the 24 In 24 Challenge.

Not only did they meet their goal of completing the running challenge, but they also raised a total of $6,249 for Four Diamonds, a nonprofit organization that helps pay for treatments for children with pediatric cancer.

Layser, who is the ceramics teacher at LDHS, and Payonk, the special education teacher, ran 1 mile every hour on the hour for 24 consecutive hours from noon on Dec. 23, 2020, through noon on Dec. 24, 2020. The LDHS community was invited to support their efforts by donating money for each lap they completed.

"(Layser) ran on the track at the high school and I ran from my apartment," Payonk explained. "Basically, he ran a mile around the track, and I ran a loop that I set up around my apartment. I ran into Hummelstown and looped back to my place."

"The last four hours were the toughest," he added. "It started raining and made it a little difficult. As the fatigue set in, it really got hard."

Payonk said the 24 In 24 Challenge was held in lieu of the LDHS Jingle Jam 5K planned at Cassel Brookside Stables in Hummelstown that had to be canceled because of the pandemic.

"We collected all monies (for the 24 In 24 Challenge) via a website," he noted. "(The donations) came from the LDHS community, students and family members, and we donated (as well). We were thinking that we may break $3,000; we never thought we would raise more than $6,000."

Payonk said that because of COVID-19 there were no crowds cheering on the runners, but some people did provide encouragement. "Some people throughout town knew me and knew I was doing this, and I saw some families and they cheered me on," he said.

Fundraising events have been curtailed because of the pandemic, forcing the Mini-THON club to devise new events. "We do restaurant fundraisers. We did a Dafnos (Italian Grille) fundraiser two weeks prior to the event, and that gave us some good funds," Payonk noted. "We don't want to ask for donations when businesses are already challenged. We are still brainstorming ideas."

Mini-THON at LDHS is modeled after the Penn State THON, and all money raised is donated to Four Diamonds, which covers 100% of all medical expenses related to cancer care not covered by insurance for eligible Four Diamonds children.

"(The Mini-THON) is pretty much run by the students. My co-adviser and I just answer any questions they may have and (the students) bounce ideas off us. In general, the students really run the show," Payonk stated.

To learn more about the Mini-THON at LDHS, readers may visit http://www.facebook.com/LDHSFTK and http://www.instagram.com/ldhsminithon or follow LDHS Mini-THON on Twitter.