STATE COLLEGE, PA. - Beginning Friday September 28, 2012, Penn State students kick off THON's first canister solicitation (canning) weekend by traveling across the east coast to collect donations.
This marks the opening of the fundraising window for organizations of the 2013 Penn State Dance Marathon, known as THON.
Students leave State College for this first canister solicitation weekend to spend daylight hours outdoors and collect donations.
More than 300 organizations go out during each of the three Canning Weekends throughout the THON fundraising season, contributing thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer.
"We're excited for the fundraising window to get underway with our first canning weekend," THON Executive Chairperson Will Martin said. "Any and all donations help us with our mission to provide outstanding emotional and financial support to the Four Diamonds Fund."
Safety vests are a new feature to Canning Weekends for THON 2013. THON officials encourage students who are fundraising this weekend to purchase these neon vests. The vests will protect the students who can outside of storefronts, on sidewalks and at other locations holding specially marked cans and signs, encouraging passers-by to donate money to THON.
The money benefits Four Diamonds Fund, the sole beneficiary of THON, an organization that works to conquer pediatric cancer by picking up any costs not covered by insurance, as well as allocating millions of dollars for cancer research.
Over the past 40 years, THON has raised more than $89 million and has helped thousands of children who have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Last year alone, THON raised more than $10.7 million.
THON 2013 will be held February 15-17, 2013 in the Bryce Jordan Center.
