It’s a common assumption that we met in class or at work due to our similar career paths, but we actually owe it all to a philanthropy that we both happened upon years before we ever met. At the start of each of our Sophomore years at Penn State we decided to become volunteers for an organization known as THON. THON is the largest run student philanthropy in the world with over 16,000 student volunteers working to eradicate pediatric cancer. By complete chance, we both were drawn to the same sub-group of THON called the OPPerations (OPP) committee, but it would be years of us both volunteering with this 700 person group before we would actually meet. In the Fall of 2014 we had both decided to pursue a leadership role and interviewed for Captain positions with OPP. Fortunately for us, we were 2 of the 21 Captains selected and our paths were finally able to cross. Many years and adventures later and we’re ready to be Mr. and Mrs. Tof.

For Easter weekend, we had agreed to go our separate ways and to spend the holiday in our own respective hometowns. Ashley and Rooney were headed to Pittsburgh so that Rooney could meet her family and Matt would be going back to Philadelphia to celebrate Mr. Tofani’s birthday in the city. Ashley’s college roommates, Jackie and Emilie, knew that she was coming home and asked her if she wanted to meet them at the Hartwood Acres dog park to meet Rooney. Along the walk to the park, Ashley could hear someone yelling "Rooney” from the creek along the path. Matt was waiting there for them, and Ashley immediately knew what was happening. She and Rooney met him along the creek, where he proposed and she said yes. Matt had thought of every detail - he had a photographer friend there to capture the moment, and another friend, Pat, there to capture everything on film. Following the proposal Matt asked Ashley to get ready to meet her family at the local winery to celebrate. When Ashley arrived at the winery, she was surprised to see that Matt’s family had made the trek to Pittsburgh as well and were there to celebrate. It was the first time that many of our family members were able to meet and we can’t wait to get everyone together again for more celebrations in October.