Penn State's THON Raises $9.5 Million
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (CBS) - It was a record-setting weekend of twisting and shaking at Penn State University this weekend in what's billed as the largest student-run philanthropy in the world -- it's known simply as THON.
It's a 46-hour dance marathon and forget about sleeping; these dancers can't even sit down. The weekend of dancing caps a year-long fundraising effort.
Last year, THON set a record with $7.8 million. They were hoping to eclipse that number this year -- and did they ever -- THON raised $9.5 million all to fight pediatric cancer.
Kenny Verbos is a volunteer whose job this weekend was to keep the dancers moving. He says it wasn't too difficult to keep the dancers motivated.
"A lot of the stories about the families and how much they go through is definitely a good way for always telling them that it's always for the kids."
The money raised goes to the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State-Hershey Children's Hospital.
In the three-plus decades of benefitting the fund, organizers say THON's donated around $80 million.
Reported by Jim Melwert, KYW Newsradio
