Penn State's THON Raises $9.7M To Help Fight Childhood Cancer!
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (CBS/AP) – $9,770,332.32!
That's how much money was raised over the weekend at Penn State University during the grueling test of stamina known as THON.
That money benefits pediatric cancer patients and their families.
The annual 46-hour dance marathon began late Friday at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College and ended Sunday afternoon.
More than 700 dancers took part, helped by thousands of other students in support roles. The dancers don't sleep for nearly two full days.
Penn State junior Maria Vido is one of those thousands of volunteers.
"I make sure that I keep them healthy and their energy up for the entire weekend and get whatever they need, keep them stretched, make sure they drink, eat, everything like that," she says.
Child cancer survivors and their families also take part. One special guest this year was cancer survivor Leah Still, who rallied the dancers along with her father, Devon Still – a former Penn State football player.
Dustin Woywod -- a sophmore at Penn State – tells KYW Newsradio the highlight of his THON weekend was hearing from Devon and Leah Still:
"I've been in Beaver Stadium when there were 107,000 people in there, but when you're in the Bryce Jordan Center during THON it's amazing."
The event's official name is the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, and it's billed as the world's largest student-run philanthropy.
More than $13 million was raised last year, and the fundraiser notched a record $13.34 million the year before.
Organizers last fall called off the last two scheduled weekends of "canning" — soliciting motorists by asking them to drop donations in large cans. They said they did it because of safety concerns following the death of a student.
KYW's Justin Udo contributed to this story...
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
