Pennies for Patients drive kicks of at Harry Hoag Elementary

Wednesday, Feb. 1 marked the beginning of the Pennies for Patients drive at Harry Hoag Elementary School. Students gathered in the gym in the morning to hear a presentation and start three weeks of collecting spare change. The drive concludes Feb. 17.

Last year, students raised $1,377.

“The students seem really excited about this,” said Harry Hoag secretary and organizer Patty Nestler. “The students in Mrs. Sweet’s third grade class have volunteered to help count the money.”

Sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Pennies for Patients asks children to donate spare change in any amount possible to help support programs for leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancer patients and to fund research to find a cure for blood cancers.

Campaign coordinator Brandy Farber said 187 schools in upstate New York have signed up for the program. Since 1994, millions of dollars have been raised in pennies and other spare change by more than 10 million elementary, middle and high school students throughout the country.