Penn State Dance Marathon

About Penn State Dance Marathon

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, commonly referred to as THON, is a two day Dance Marathon that takes place every February at the Pennsylvania State University with the purpose of raising money to combat children's cancer. It was started in 1973 by the University's Interfraternity Council, and in its first year, more than $2,000 was raised, with 39 couples dancing for 46 hours straight. $7,490,133.87 was raised at the 2009 event. The total from 2008 allowed the overall amount donated to the Four Diamonds Fund to reach more than fifty million dollars. The money that is raised is donated to The Four Diamonds Fund, a charity devoted to defeating pediatric cancer through research and caring for patients at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Children's Hospital. More than 15,000 students get involved in the event each year, organizing it and raising funds with the rallying cry, "FOR THE KIDS!".

Originally, THON was proposed as a way to rebuild the Interfraternity Council's image, and began as a dance competition. More than $2,000 was raised, and it went to a charity for mentally retarded children, while the couple that raised the most money and completed the thirty hour marathon received $300. The following year, fundraising efforts multiplied, the length of the event was extended to 48 hours, and more than $10,000 was raised for the American Heart Association.

In 1977, a new charity was selected to be the recipient of the money raised by the dance marathon, The Four Diamonds Fund. That year, nearly $29,000 was raised, and in 1978, nearly $53,000 was raised and designated for pediatric leukemia. That year, in a car accident while travelling from Penn State to the Hershey Medical Center to deliver the check for the money raised, several students were injured, and one, Kevin Steinberg, was killed. Today, one THON organizer is recognized each year for outstanding service with the Kevin Steinberg Award. That event sealed the bond between THON and The Four Diamonds Fund — THON has made a pledge that all money raised will be donated to Four Diamonds as long as they continue the fight against pediatric cancer.