Impact

Penn State York participates in record-breaking THON

Penn State York dancers Kaitlyn Dunbar, 19, of York, Pa., and Joe Weaver, 18, of York, Pa., danced two nights away and completed the 46-hour 40th annual Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON), Feb. 17 - 19, in the Bryce Jordan Center at the University Park campus. THON raised a record-breaking $10,686,924.83 for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital, surpassing last year's record $9.56 million. York raised $10,638.61 which contributed to the total to help in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Throughout the weekend themed “Brighten Every Journey,” members of the York THON Committee encouraged the dancers along with thousands of others and York’s THON family, the Hagens. 

Under the direction of Penn State York students Alana Lentz, 21, of Columbia, Pa., and Kara Smith, 21, of York, Pa., York’s THON co-chairs, the group raised funds throughout the year. Lentz and Smith have been having weekly meetings with the campus’ THON Committee since just after last year’s THON.  

Funds raised by THON go to support the Four Diamonds Fund and its pediatric cancer patients, families and researchers at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital who are working to find better treatments and, ultimately, cures for forms of cancer that afflict children. First held in 1973, THON has partnered with Four Diamonds Fund since 1977 and in that time has raised more than $89 million FTK -- "For The Kids."

More than 15,000 students participated in making THON 2012 happen – from more than 700 dancers who spent the entire weekend on their feet, to the thousands of students who helped them raise funds throughout the year, and thousands more who are volunteering during THON weekend to boost dancers' morale, keep them fed and entertained, make sure they stay safe and share the THON experience around the world via streaming video.

To see photos of the York dancers at THON, click here. For more information about THON, visit their website.
 

Kaitlyn Dunbar and Joe Weaver, representing Penn State York, fine-tune their line dance moves at THON. Credit: Barbara Dennis / Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated March 1, 2012

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