After reaching the $100 million fundraising milestone last year, Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) volunteers will be canning through the fall.
“Canning enables our volunteers to raise both funds and awareness for THON in a unique, yet hands-on way,” says executive director Ryan Patrick.
More than 10,000 student volunteers will travel throughout the Northeast to states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New York and West Virginia. The students will can outside storefronts and on street corners during daylight hours. Once again, all canning weekends will be held during off weeks/away weekends for the football team.
They kicked off the 2014 fundraising season with the first canning weekend held at the end of September. The remaining canning weekend dates are as follows:
Weekend No. 2: Oct. 18-20
Weekend No. 3: Nov. 8-10
“This year, we’ve mostly been looking to make safe canning a simpler process for our volunteers,” says rules and regulations director Janine Patton. “Over the summer, my captains and I worked to contact local areas that tend to experience a lot of canning to obtain some data on permit requirements, contact information, and general soliciting rules.”
All funds collected benefit the Four Diamonds Fund, the sole beneficiary of THON. The mission of the Four Diamonds Fund is to eradicate pediatric cancer by supporting innovative research. The Four Diamonds Fund also provides emotional and financial support to families of children who are undergoing pediatric cancer treatment at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Click HERE to learn more about THON and the Four Diamonds Fund, or to make a donation.
