A number of Penn State students collected donations at the Five Points intersection in Tamaqua recently in support of the college’s annual THON event.

Information from the Penn State website reads:
“The mission of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is to conquer pediatric cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers, and staff of the Four Diamonds Fund.

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is a year-long fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against pediatric cancer. This effort engages more than 15,000 students across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in hopes of finding a cure.

The year culminates with a 46 hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon known as THON Weekend. This event is held at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center each year in the month of February. In 2014, THON raised a record-breaking $13.34 million and was able to donate 96% of funds raised directly to Four Diamonds.

Since 1977, THON has raised more than $114 million benefiting Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Four Diamonds picks up where insurance leaves off, enabling families to solely focus on care for their child. Assistance from Four Diamonds ensures counselors, social workers, music therapists and other specialists are available to provide comprehensive care in a family-focused atmosphere. Thanks to THON, Four Diamonds and the Penn State Hershey Medical Center recruits world-class talent to continue innovative research benefiting children worldwide.”

For more information, visit http://thon.org/About.