Coppers for a cause - Feb. 13, 2013
Kathy Bockus/Courier
The Heritage Chapter IODE in St. Stephen is rolling along with its Penny Power project, collecting pennies which will be used to buy lunches and other snack items for needy students at elementary schools in the area. Yvette Sawyer, owner and operator of the Riverside Grocery on MIlltown Boulevard, has one of the penny collection pots at her store.
Kathy Bockus
St. Stephen
The pennies are rolling in.
The Heritage Chapter IODE has rolls of pennies, jars of pennies, bags and boxes of pennies and this week plans to present cheques to three local elementary schools from funds provided by those pennies.
Administrators will use their discretion to use the money for snacks and other food items for needy students at Lawrence Station School, St. Stephen Elementary School and Milltown Elementary School.
“You can’t engage the brain without proper nutrition,” stated IODE Heritage president Shirley Downey.
The public’s response to the Penny Power campaign launched last October has been very encouraging, said Downey.
“I’m pleased and amazed at the support so far. The response has been wonderful.”
One donation jar from the Pizza Shack on Milltown Boulevard contained $300. There were pennies, said Downey, along with five $20 bills.
Seniors from Granville Park are donating pennies “by the bag full” said Downey, and the IODE also received a piggy bank containing $128. One penny pot contained $70 in bills in addition to being full of pennies.
“It’s lots of fun,” she said with a laugh. “This is going to make a huge amount of money.
“People are asking us if we are still collecting pennies. Yes, we are, big time. People need to know we’re in full swing.”
The campaign will continue until the end of April and is capitalizing on the publicity surrounding the federal government’s decision to stop minting the penny.
The IODE does not have any specific dollar goal in mind for the Penny Power project.
“We’re just going to suck up every penny and put them to good use,” said Downey.
“We’ve got a couple thousand dollars already; do you realize how many pennies that is? Holy!”
Downey said the next step is to make an appointment with a local bank to deposit the coins.
She said penny pots for collections will soon be on their way to the schools and she’s positive the pennies can somehow be worked into the daily curriculum.
“There are lots of classroom activities that could be done with the penny – the history of the penny for instance. These kids are living through an historical event.”
Downey said math lessons could also use the pennies.
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