In 1973, a group of Penn State students searched for a way to give back to local nonprofit organizations. 78 students danced for 30 hours and raised over $20,000. Starting in 1977, Penn State joined with the Four Diamonds Foundation to allow for all of the money generated by THON to go to the Four Diamonds Foundation and childhood cancer research, and medical expenses, according to fourdiamonds.org. THON has raised over $236 million since its partnership with Four Diamonds, according to Penn State University.

In 1993, middle and high schools across the state wanted to help raise money, starting their own THONs but at a smaller scale. They were named Mini-Thons, and today, nearly 70,000 students participate in 235 schools across seven different states, according to Penn State University. According to Four Diamonds, one of the first schools to begin these fundraising efforts was Hershey High School, hosting its first Mini-Thon the same year the program started, 1993. Today, Mini-Thon raises money throughout the year through spirit weeks, the flag football game, pep rallies, candy grams, and more. Across all participating schools, Mini-Thon has raised $70 million since its creation in 1993.

This money is crucial in the fight against childhood cancer. Every day, 43 children are diagnosed with cancer. The fight is not cheap either, with the average cost of cancer treatment being over $500,000 according to THON. While the dancing and events are fun, it is important to remember that THON and Mini-Thon are for the kids. Childhood cancer affects thousands of families across the country and many in Hershey, and giving back is essential to let families focus on the fight without worrying about cost.

If you would like to donate or help out with Mini Thon and their mission, contact Mrs. Blosky for details on how to help out or donate. Make sure to be at the 32nd annual Mini-THON, March 21.