4 , 5 0 0 ▁participants ▁and ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁volunte ers ; ▁a ▁record ▁number ▁of ▁particip ant ▁spons ors , ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 3 , 0 0 0 , ▁contributed ▁financial ▁support . ▁The ▁Pr out y ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁char ity ▁fund ra ising ▁event ▁in ▁northern ▁New ▁England . ▁Since ▁the ▁Pr out y ’ s ▁found ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁events ▁have ▁raised ▁more ▁than ▁$ 1 2 ▁million . ▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Total ▁annual ▁phil anth rop ic ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁Center ▁exceed s ▁$ 1 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁F ounded ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Nor ris ▁Cot ton ▁Can cer ▁Center ▁at ▁D art mouth ▁was ▁designated ▁as ▁a ▁C lin ical ▁Can cer ▁Center ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Can cer ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁Com pre h ensive ▁Can cer ▁Center ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁it ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁ 6 9 ▁Com pre h ensive ▁Can cer ▁Cent ers ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Center ▁is ▁named ▁for ▁Nor ris ▁Cot ton , ▁who ▁served ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁As ▁a ▁sen