THON trivia

Compiled by Andrew Newhouse

-- More than 10,000 Penn State students participate in THON events each year, including more than 700 dancers, 3,000 organizers and thousands of fundraisers.

-- This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Dance Marathon, and the first time it will be held in the Bryce Jordan Center.

-- THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

-- Over the years, THON has raised more than $41 million for the Four Diamonds Fund to help more than 2,000 families of pediatric cancer patients.

-- Each year, about 90 new families receive support from the Four Diamonds Fund, which has never turned down a request for help from any child diagnosed with cancer at the Hershey Medical Center.

-- Dancers are served 10 meals over THON weekend, and Four Diamond Families are served five meals.

-- Pepsi donates 1,410 caffeine-free beverages and Irving's donates 3,500 bagels to participants at THON weekend.

-- THON is a year-long effort, kicked off each year in October with a 5 kilometer run.

-- In 2004, THON pledged more than $10 million over six years to finance a new pediatric cancer pavilion at the Hershey Medical Center.

-- A $2 donation is made to THON from the American Red Cross, which partnered with the student organization in 2001, for every unit of blood collected from January to THON weekend.

-- The first Penn State dance marathon lasted 30 hours and took place in 1973. A year later, the Dance Marathon was lengthened to 48 hours.

-- In 1976 THON adopted its first Dance Marathon theme: "Dance For Those Who Can't."

-- On its 15th anniversary, the Dance Marathon got its official name: THON.

-- In 1975, one couple danced the entire marathon, taking only a 51-second break.

-- The THON Webcast can be viewed in more than 30 countries.

For full coverage of THON, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/22394 online.

Last Updated July 29, 2009

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