THON raises a record $5.2 million

Photo by John Beale THON dancers cheered as Michael Funk announced the record $5,240,385.17 raised over the past year to benefit children with cancer as part of the Interfraternity Council/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon at the Bryce Jordan Center.

By Travis Larchuk

University Park, Pa. -- Penn State students raised a record $5,240,385.17 over the past year to benefit children with cancer as part of the Interfraternity Council/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, THON overall chairman Michael Funk announced Sunday.

"You raised more than five million dollars for the kids!" Funk exclaimed as the crowd erupted into cheers.

This beat the record amount raised in last year's THON for the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization that helps the families of children with cancer pay for expenses related to treating the disease, by more than $1 million.

In the time leading up to the announcement, the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center could barely be seen as hundreds of exhausted dancers filled the room, forming diamond shapes with their hands in tribute to the Four Diamonds Fund, as a video of THON highlights played on two giant screens.

Funk announced that Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority were the two Greek organizations that raised the most money this year, contributing $293,591 total to the Four Diamonds Fund.

While this falls about $7,000 short of the amount these groups raised last year, it still makes Alpha Tau Omega and Zeta Tau Alpha THON's highest money-raising Greek organizations for 12 years straight.

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