Penn State York’s THON committee partnered with the American Red Cross for its annual THON blood drive on Monday. The American Red Cross gave three dollars to the THON committee for every blood donation made. Those proceeds will then go to the campus THON committee’s effort to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. The Four Diamonds Fund helps children with cancer and their families.
Wyatt Franks, PSU York freshman and blood drive organizer says, “The Red Cross is in desperate need considering the weather which we just had. Donations are at an all time low, so we need as many donations as possible. So not only are we making a difference here at Penn State York, but we are making a difference within our community.”
This is just one of many events sponsored by the Penn State York THON committee leading up the 41st Annual Penn State Dance Marathon. The 46-hour dance-a-thon is set for February 21st to February 23rd at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College.
THON, a year-round fundraising event, is the largest single donor to the Four Diamonds Fund. THON 2013 raised more than $12.3 million last year and broke its own record of more than $10.7 million, bringing the total raised in the history of the event to more than $101 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at The Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital since 1973.