Penn State Thon raises $9,770,332.32

Thon had about 9.77 million reasons to bust another move at the end of its 46-hour dance marathon.

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, a yearlong effort to raise money and awareness for the fight against childhood cancer, capped off Sunday when Executive Director Katie Mailey shouted Thon’s fundraising total to a standing-room-only Bryce Jordan Center.

“I hope people, and I think people, will take away that this is so much bigger than ourselves,” she said. “When we reveal the number, it’s a culminating moment of the entire weekend, but I think people should take out of it that, that number is so much more than millions of dollars. It’s a representation of the hours we put into it and the love and support we have for the families.”

The total followed two years that Thon, which comprises about 15,000 student volunteers, raised more than $13 million. Thon’s 39-year contribution to the Four Diamonds Fund is about $137 million after raising $9,770,332.32 in the past year.

Some students speculated the yearly total would drop after Thon canceled two canning trips due to the death of Vitalya “Tally” Sepot, who was one of seven students in a single-vehicle crash Sept. 27. The students were returning to University Park from Thon’s first scheduled canning weekend.

Penn State Greek Life dedicated part of Thon to Sepot’s memory.

“I think people step up in situations like these,” Mailey said. “People really tried to grow in their organizations and tried to be creative with their fundraising methods. I think how they responded shows our resilience and showed how we are one community.”

Thon finance director Delia Moran said canceling two canning weekends decreased the annual fundraising total, but did not say by about how much. She explained that canning donations vary “extremely” every year depending on factors like weather and home football games.

Thon spokeswoman Lily Beatty said the nonprofit plans to bring back canning.

“We are committed to preserving canning as part of our fundraising model, but we are doing so in a very careful way with the university and risk management to ensure moving forward that our plan is adequately able to mitigate preventable risk,” Beatty said.

Thon leaders also pointed to ways they are growing the nonprofit.

Beatty said its video production abilities and social media presence improved. She also thinks future Thon directors will take steps to bring in influential people who match their cause — like former Penn State football player Devon Still, whose daughter survived cancer — to raise awareness of their efforts.

Mailey, who danced in 2014, also praised Thon’s 708 dancers.

“Being on your feet for 46 hours isn’t easy, but it’s a representation of why we’re here,” Mailey said. “It’s in support of the kids and, it’s us standing up for them. It’s symbolic of so many of the journeys the children have gone through.”

This story was originally published February 21, 2016 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Penn State Thon raises $9,770,332.32."