This weekend, hundreds of students will pick up their cans and signs, pack into cars and drive all over Pennsylvania and the East Coast to raise money to help kids fight cancer.
Jan. 21-23 marks the third canning weekend of the 2011 Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, affectionately known as THON. Students in organizations and those who are trying to dance independently in THON will head to places such as Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York to stand outside for hours to raise money for The Four Diamonds Fund.
“Penn State students are able to use canning as not only a fundraising mechanism, but also as an awareness tool,” says Jony Rommel, public relations overall chairperson for THON 2011. “This method of fundraising allows THON volunteers to engage new donors in actively participating in our goal of conquering pediatric cancer.”
Students who go canning will stand outside storefronts, on intersections and other locations holding cans and signs, asking passersby to donate money to THON. An average of 269 organizations go out each of the four canning weekends throughout the THON season, contributing thousands of dollars to the total revealed THON weekend. Cans and signs now feature the Penn State and THON logos, along with the new phrase “Help Kids Fight Cancer.”
Over the past 35 years, THON has raised more than $69 million and has helped more than 2,000 children who have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Last year alone, with the help of generous donations, THON raised more than $7.9 million.
For further information regarding canning weekend rules and regulations, visit http://www.thon.org or contact Overall Rules and Regulations Chairperson Zach Hinkle, at rules.regulations@thon.org.