At 6 p.m. on Feb. 17, in the Robert and Elizabeth Ostermayer room in the Student Community Center on the Penn State Greater Allegheny campus, representatives from the American Red Cross will hold a blood drive. For every person who completes a blood donation, the American Red Cross will donate $4 to Penn State Greater Allegheny's THON effort.
THON began in 1973, when dancers raised just more than $2,000. Today, it is the largest student-run philanthropy effort in the nation. In 2009, the event raised more than $7 million for The Four Diamonds Fund, which supports childhood cancer research. This year, THON will take place from Feb. 19 to 21, at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State's University Park campus, where dancers will attempt to stay on their feet for 46 hours.