The Penn State football program hosted its annual THON Explorers event Saturday, inviting children and their families facing cancer treatments to the Lasch Football Building for some fun with the players. The Nittany Lions played games with kids and their families and showed them around the expansive home of Penn State football.

The Nittany Lions host their annual day at the Lasch Football Building as part of the annual THON dance marathon at the Bryce Jordan Center. Students dance for 46 hours straight to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund, which helps families pay for treatment and support. The THON Explorers Program gives families a chance to participate in activities beyond Bryce Jordan Center during THON weekend.

Penn State football players entertained kids and their families with a variety of activities, including ping pong, basketball pop-a-shot and even the golf simulator. Some of the freshmen got involved, including linebacker LaVar Arrington II.

Golf was a popular activity.

As was karaoke, captured here by Max Ralph of PennLive.

One of the best moments occurred when the players welcomed Four Diamonds families into the building, as this video from 247Sports’ Tyler Donohue underscores.

Penn State football conducts several events a year in which players visit with kids dealing with health challenges. The team makes an annual trip to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, which coach James Franklin calls “one of our best days of the year.”

“Penn State football is more than just what we do at Beaver Stadium for seven Saturdays a year as well as what we do throughout the entire season,” Franklin said during the team’s visit to Hershey last year. “It’s about giving back to the community, it’s about making a difference in people’s lives, it’s about being a role model and a mentor. But it’s also about playing big-time football, and there needs to be a balance on this, which I think is probably more challenging than it’s ever been. But I think it’s really important for us to make sure that we don’t lose this aspect.”

More Penn State Sports