For the 40th time, Penn State students will assemble Friday for what’s become an annual marquee event at the university: the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.
Scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center, the 46-hour marathon features some 700 student dancers. Their mantra: no sleeping, no sitting until 4 p.m. Sunday, when the marathon — or THON — will end and organizers will announce the year’s fundraising total.
(For live tweets and a live video stream from THON, check this StateCollege.com page.)
Proceeds, which last year topped $9 million, support The Four Diamonds Fund. The nonprofit organization supports pediatric-cancer research and treatment.
The marathon itself, which includes thousands of student volunteers, Four Diamonds-supported children and families, alumni and other visitors, culminates a year-long fundraising process. Thousands of Penn State students participate in a range of money-raising activities, from road trips to solicitation of corporate sponsorships.
Organizers bill THON as the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. It receives media coverage from a variety of outlets. Among them is StateCollege.com’s sister site OnwardState.com, a student-driven operation that plans thorough updates throughout the weekend.
THON’s official website is available here. StateCollege.com’s THON-centric page is posted here.
Check back with StateCollege.com for occasional THON updates through the weekend. The event is free and open to the public.
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