[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 23, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            PENN STATE THON

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to give a 
big thank-you to Penn State students for their commitment to an 
incredible cause.
  Each year, students spend countless hours raising awareness and money 
in the fight against pediatric cancer. Every February, these efforts 
culminate in a 46-hour dance marathon known as THON.
  THON provides financial and emotional support to thousands of 
families across the Commonwealth who have a child battling pediatric 
cancer.
  THON is normally a celebration of thousands in the Bryce Jordan 
Center on campus--an opportunity for children with cancer to focus on 
simply being a kid even just for the weekend.
  Sadly, the pandemic forced this proud tradition online this year. 
However, despite a global pandemic, students still managed to raise 
$10.6 million this year.
  Since 1973, Penn State students have raised more than $180 million. 
Those figures, combined with nearly 17,000 student volunteers, makes 
Penn State THON the largest student-run philanthropic effort in the 
world.
  I am proud of the Penn State students who are so committed to this 
cause, and I am even more proud of the children and families who keep 
fighting.

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