For the past 44 years, the Penn State Dance Marathon, better known as THON, has had its fair share of variations . Whether it’s the change in the mission statement, venue, or who they donate to, the sentiment has always been the same — to help find a cure.

To date, THON has helped raise over $127,888,731.53 with 127,766,985 of that going to the Four Diamonds Fund (more accurately, a very large percent of that is donated to the Four Diamonds Fund, about 96%, where the other 4% is kept in-house for things like office supplies, envelopes, etc.). These, far and away, are both incredible totals, but I was curious as to the true value of every dollar and cent raised since 1973.

So, since it is once again February, I collected data from THON.org, as well as the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group, and accounted for inflation for every THON Weekend total since 1973 in terms of 2015 USD.

***THON INFLATION***

*NOTE: The latest US government CPI data published on January 20, 2016 is used to adjust for inflation and calculate the cumulative inflation rate through December 2015.

**NOTE: Some of the totals varied between the two sites, so I used the higher total. However, at some points when the total may have been lower on THON.org, but more accurate to the cent, that total was cited.

The first thing to note is that there have been six instances in THON’s history where the total from THON weekend has not surpassed its previous years: 1981 & 1982, 1993 & 1994, 1994 & 1995, 2002 & 2003, 2003 & 2004, and 2014 & 2015. Therefore, even with inflation, the adjusted total would naturally be less.

A more interesting observation is that even in years where the total has surpassed the previous year, the adjusted total is worth less than the previous year. This is seen in 2001 & 2002 as well as 2005 & 2006. Another time this has happened (and is unmarked because it would have been strange to do so) is in 1995 and 1996 where the totals are more than the total from 1992, but after inflation are still worth less than the 1992 total.

It is smart to note as well, that THON’s fiscal year ends in the summer, meaning that even though the totals on THON Weekend may have been less than the previous year’s, THON still usually raises more than the year before by the end of its fiscal cycle.

Some other fun patterns include the jumps. For instance, the year THON moved to the White Building, there was a nearly $20,000 jump in the total. In 1992, the year of THON’s 20th anniversary, they surpassed the one million mark for the first time, a 145% increase from the previous year. When they switched venues from their long time (and surely cramped) home to Rec Hall they raised a half-million more in 1999 than in 1998, and there was a steady increase for the following three years. On the 35th anniversary in 2007, the first time they moved to the BJC, the total rocketed to over 5.2 million dollars, which is a million more than the the final year in Rec. And finally, in 2012, after a tumultuous winter given everything that happened with the Second Mile and Penn State’s reputation, on it’s 40th anniversary, students from all campuses, orgs, and alumni alike helped to raise an astonishing total of more than $10 million — a more than $1 million gain from the previous year, as well as the first time THON raised over eight figures.

The Penn State Dance Marathon has been an impressive part of student life year in and year out, and to date, adjusted for inflation and not including 2016, has raised $149,445,955.17 — $148,961,784.81 of that has gone to the children, families, researchers and staff of the Four Diamonds Fund.

On February 21st, the student volunteers will surely raise another astronomical amount. But as we all know, it’s not really about the money, it’s about making the difference in the life of a child.

To make a tax deductible donation to THON, visit donate.thon.org.

For more information you can visit THON.org or dmaig.org.