Name: Jamie Guinan
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
FOTO cred: I was the Outreach Chair from 2009-2011 and had the privilege to dance for FOTO in 2011
I was asked to apply for the original officer board by Adam Fountaine and Andy McGough, and I did not hesitate. Being involved in THON was something I always knew I would do once I was a Penn State student, but early on I knew I wanted to do more. Being in FOTO was that opportunity. Our meetings started small, mostly with those of us on the board dragging our roommates or bribing classmates to attend. Soon we had a core group of members who were devoted to raising money for the Four Diamonds Fund and supporting our first FOTO family, the Eslingers. We continued to recruit members and grow our FOTO family each year.
The members of FOTO were not only my family while I attended Penn State, but also were the people I stayed closest to after graduation. Penn State is a large university which can be overwhelming at times. Being involved in an organization like FOTO with people who shared similar interests was always a comfort to me. I relied on our weekly meetings and events to get me through the week. FOTO was truly a family affair for me when my sister, Laura, joined (with very little persuasion by me) as a freshman and later danced as a senior in 2014. To add, my husband Danny served as the Technology officer from 2010-2011 with many of our FOTO friends in our wedding party.
There are so many memories I have of FOTO/THON that it's hard to choose just one. Dancing in THON 2011 is obviously a highlight, but some of my fondest memories are of the weekly meetings, canning weekends with miserable weather, and events with FOTO members.
To the current members of FOTO, THANK YOU! I am so proud of what you all have accomplished over the years! Keep up the good work.
