Feb 16, 2013

Having trained for months to keep moving for 46 consecutive hours, hundreds of Penn State University dancers will rekindle a proud philanthropic tradition this weekend with the 41st annual Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or “Thon.” The weekend event began Friday in the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s main University Park campus and is expected to draw more than 15,000 spectators, said Cat Powers, a spokeswoman for the event.

: Dancers for Penn State Harribsurg Joe Sadusky and Hana Suders hug as they stand up and celebrate the start of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Dancers Alison Geesey and Brittany Mohney stretch their legs before the start of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Ryan Simpson and members of the Penn State Blue Band drum line entertain the Bryce Jordan Center before the start the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Corban Potter, 3, laughs as bubbles pop in his face during the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 13, 2013, at the Bryce Jordan Center for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. The event raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. This is the first year Corban attended the event after battling neuroblastoma. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Morale captains teach the crowd at Bryce Jordan Center a dance during the first hour of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Jodie Potter is greeted by squirt guns from her children Manna, Jay, and Corban, after arriving at the Bryce Jordan Center for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Potter came as part of was a group of 24 runners that completed a 135-mile journey from the pediatrics floor at Hershey Medical Center. The event raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer, including the Potters. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Alex Lallier, dancing for the Arnold Air Society, learns a dance with fellow dancers at the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Shana Maschak and Jenessa Stiles learn a dance with fellow dancers at the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Morale captain Emma Gregory teaches the crowd at Bryce Jordan Center a dance during the first hour of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Alexa Cutler, Keren Salomon, Ben Zeer, Maddy Meislin, and Shelby Rudolph celebrate the start of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Jodie Potter takes a photo of a poster showing photos of her son, Corban, after arriving at the Bryce Jordan Center for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Potter came as part of was a group of 24 runners that completed a 135-mile journey from the pediatrics floor at Hershey Medical Center. Corban has completed chemotherapy and is currently cancer free. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

: Dancers stretch their legs before the start of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on Friday, February 15, 2013, in University Park, Pennsylvania. Dancers started Friday and will continue for 46 hours. The event, known as Thon, raises money to help families that are battling pediatric cancer. Last year’s event raised $10 million. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/MCT)

Thon, which debuted in 1973, raised $2,000 that year. In the decades since, it has grown into the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, raising more than $89 million, including nearly $11 million last year.

Proceeds go to the Four Diamonds Fund at Hershey Medical Center and are used to help families and children by covering medical bills not paid for by insurance and by advancing cancer research.

The effort is driven by some 15,000 annual volunteers. Participants from Penn State’s two dozen campuses statewide have written letters soliciting donations, gone on road trips for “canning weekends,” when students solicit donations in canisters outside stores and at busy intersections, and conducted various other fundraisers.

— Bill Schackner, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Penn State’s Thon draws thousands of dancers for charity

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