While some students are preparing for the upcoming Thon canning weekend, students new to campus may find themselves wondering what Thon is.

The Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is the largest student-run philanthropy project in the world. It is dedicated to funding care for children with cancer and funding research of pediatric cancer, according to Thon's Web site (www.thon.org).

This year's Thon will take place from Feb. 22 to 24.

Although preparations for Thon take place throughout the year, the event itself is a 48-hour non-stop dance for pairs from fraternities, sororities and independent student organizations. In previous years, more than 650 students have danced for Thon, and 230 organizations have participated each year.

"There are over 250 organizations competing this year, maybe over 275," said Patty Hoffmann, Thon public relations chair.

Working in cooperation with Penn State's Hershey Medical Center and The Four Diamonds Fund — an organization that aims to end childhood cancer — the dance marathon has raised more than $16 million, about 92 percent of which is given to patients and their families.

The families benefiting from Thon are most often residents of central Pennsylvania whose children are treated by Penn State's Children's Hospital in Hershey, Hoffmann said.

Thon began in 1973 with the effort of former Interfraternity Council President Bill Lear to improve IFC's image, according to the organization's site.

What Lear began, with the hopes of raising only $20, has become an event that raised more than $3 million last year, beating the records of previous years.

Fraternities and sororities compete to raise the most amount of money for Thon. Last year, Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 321 E. Fairmount Ave., and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority raised the most money of all the organizations involved.

Hoffmann said that although organizations in Thon compete for awards in fundraising, "competition is definitely not the main incentive."

Victoria Rodriguez (sophomore-psychology) of Zeta Tau Omega sorority said participating in Thon last year was an amazing experience for her.

"I feel to help anyone in need, especially little kids, is the best reward," she said. "It's a lot of hard work, but we don't mind doing it at all because it's worth it."

Amy Merks (junior-advertising), of Delta Delta Delta sorority, became involved with Thon because of her family's own experiences with cancer. Last year's Thon Carnival gave her an opportunity to meet the children and their families, and it convinced her to be a part of the event, she said.

Rodriguez and Merks, along with Lindsay Friedman (sophomore-communication science and disorders) of Delta Delta Delta, worked as part of the morale team of about 500 people dedicated to supervising dancing couples and keeping them entertained.

"I'm always looking for ways to help people, and I think it's great that a school as large as Penn State can come together to do something that benefits children and saves people's lives," Friedman said.

Through the "Adopt a Family Program," organizations participating in Thon are able to personally correspond with families that receive aid from The Four Diamonds Fund. To be able to adopt a family, an organization needs a good record of participation in Thon, Hoffmann said.

Adopting a family involves attending family events, such as barbecues or birthday parties, she said.

"We like our organizations to stay as involved as possible with their families throughout the entire year, not just during the season," she said.

Thon also has funded research for pediatric cancer. In 1999, Thon planned to donate a total of $5 million over the next five years for research at the Hershey Medical Center.

This goal was achieved last year, ahead of schedule.

While students raise money through various methods, including solicitation, auctions and corporate donations, the most common means of raising money is through canning, or canister solicitation.

More than 60 percent of all Thon funds are raised through canning, which takes place during four designated weekends of the year.

When canning, students spend the weekend standing outside in the town of their organization's choice, holding cans and asking people to donate spare change.

The third canning event of the year will take place this weekend.

"We all love it. Thon's amazing — it captures all of us," Rodriguez said.