ZELIENOPLE — An upcoming 5K race will benefit Penn State University’s annual fundraising endeavors.

The inaugural North Pittsburgh Penn State THON 5K and walk will start at the borough community park on Oct. 15.

The race will go throughout the borough and back to the park.

“We’re looking for different ways to raise money,” said organizer Stephen Schoppe, who is also a borough resident. “This is the first event that will be going on in the Pittsburgh region.”

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, more commonly know as THON, is a 46-hour dance marathon that raises money and provides emotional support to children and families to combat childhood cancer.

The 5K race is the first THON event that leads into the dance marathon held each February.

“It’s a great event,” council member Gregg Semel said, who is also a PSU alumnus. “It’s impressive to see how much it has grown.”

Schoppe said “canning” (collecting funds in cans in high-traffic areas) has been a main source of fundraising for THON for “many years now.” However, he said THON will be phasing out canning by 2019.

“It will be up to the current students and alumni like myself to find other ways to generate donations,” Schoppe said. “This event will hopefully be the first of many events to come as we all make this transition.”

Junior council member Ethan Mooney said Seneca Valley High School, which he attends, also does a “Raider-THON” to raise money for THON.

“It was inspired by Penn State,” Mooney said.

Schoppe said reasons for the borough to be the site of this fundraiser are his connection to the area as well as the large presence of Penn State alumni in the Pittsburgh area.

He said he hopes other alumni will see what THON organizers have planned for future events and attract more support.

Handouts about the 5K were given at the Penn State/Pittsburgh football game at Heinz Field on Saturday.

“Zelienople has changed a lot over the past few years and I think this would be a great way to bring people to the town to see what it has to offer,” he said.

To register visit www.facebook.com/NorthPittsburghTHON5K/ and runsignup.com/Race/PA/Zelienople/NorthPittsburghTHON5K.