It’s hard to miss the yellow thundersticks in the front of Section 123 at the BJC. For Acacia and Gamma Phi Beta, it’s just a matter of keeping tradition alive.

Every year, “GammAcacia” — as they’re affectionately called — surprise their dancers on the final day of THON with something new. Last year, they printed out the faces of the dancers on sticks and held them over their faces. The year prior, a blow-up giraffe. But two years ago, for THON 2012, they unveiled the bright yellow thundersticks.

The roar and synchronized dances coming from their section says it all. To them, surprising their dancers allows them to push through the last stretch of THON.

“Our dancers can clearly see our section,” said Acacia THON Chair Tyler Dadis. “Being in close contact with us gives them the support that they need and being able to see their parents is even better.”

Their spot next to the floor wasn’t easy to come by though. Dadis said that he was near the front of the line to get into the BJC and rushed for the section right away. To him, standing in the cold rain was well-worth the ability to interact with their dancers all weekend. After all, who can ignore the thunder coming from “GammAcacia”.

About the Author

Ted Hozza

Ted is a senior majoring in Community, the Environment, and Development, or as his friends here at Onward State like to call it, Architecture. You can probably find him at the Phyrst late at night with other Onward Staters if he's not somewhere else editing articles. You can follow him on Twitter @TedHozza or email him at ted@onwardstate.com.

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