Wake students raise more than $85,000 for Pennies for Patriotism and Pride
October 17, 2001 - Wake students collected more than $85,000
in the Pennies for Patriotism and Pride campaign, Superintendent
Bill McNeal announced in a news conference at Washington Elementary
Tuesday (Oct. 16).
 Washington Elementary fourth-graders present a check for $85,624.61 to Bill Peck of the United Way. Superintendent Bill McNeal explained the check represented all the pennies collected by Wake County students in the Pennies for Patriotism and Pride campaign. |
"We would like to thank our students for collecting
$85,624.61," said McNeal. "That is outstanding!
The $85,000 is from the Pennies campaign. I will tell you
that if we look at all the campaigns we had in our schools
that number would total $173,957.09. I want you to think about
how awesome that is!"
Schools began to respond immediately after the September
11 tragedy finding creative, caring ways for students to help
others. Many launched their own fund-raising efforts directed
to schools, firefighters and others victims of the attacks.
Superintendent McNeal called on school, PTA and community
officials to work together to provide all students a chance
to help the families suffering because of the tragedy. They
launched Pennies for Patriotism and Pride October 1-5.
"Boys and girls, thank you for your willingness to get involved and your need to show that you care for every single individual in America," said McNeal. "That says a great deal about you."
Fourth-graders in Vanessa Gee's class at Washington Elementary
presented a giant check made out to the September 11 Fund
to Bill Peck, Vice President of the Triangle United Way. Peck
thanked the students for the school system's efforts.
"Every penny that you found helps," said Peck.
"You are helping the nation begin healing. What is happening
in Raleigh and Wake County is going to be felt in New York
and Washington, D.C., with these funds that will help families
and children put their homes back together, put their lives
back together. Thank you for caring, and I know the lesson
you learned here will be with you the rest of your lives."
Gee's fourth graders contributed $150 to the Pennies campaign.
"When the events first happened on September 11, the
children were filled with a sense of horror and shock and
the idea that they wanted to do their part to help,"
said Gee. "Many of the stories the children wrote about
their feelings dealt with the idea that they wanted to go
to New York straight away and actually help. When this event,
Pennies for Patriotism and Pride, began, the children were
able to do their bit. Money was poured onto my desk every
day, and the children were excited about counting it."
|
Hear Washington Elementary
|
Gee then turned to her students, "Can anybody tell me
how you raised your money?"
"I sold stuff," said a student.
"People gave their left over lunch money," said
another.
"People looked in their pockets to see if they had a
penny or dime," answered a third.
"There were lots of different reasons that children gave, but there was one overwhelming reason they gave," said Gee.
"Why did you give the money?"
"We cared," said her class.
"They cared. That's right," said Gee.
Across Wake County, students found many ways to collect coins.
They washed cars, held bake sales, and collected change that
they put into jars at their schools. The school's PTA collected
the coins.
"I will probably be dreaming about pennies for a long
time, as will all of the children in Wake County," said
Diana Bader, president of the Wake PTA Council. "I have
never thought much about a penny before, but I think we have
learned from this that we will never look at a penny the same
again. We have all come together to help our great nation.
And the next time you see a penny on the ground, pick it up
and all day long you will have good luck. Remember what you
have done for our country."
Each school PTA was responsible for gathering, rolling and
depositing the coins in an account established by Wachovia
Bank.
"We were all affected by the events of September 11,"
said Diane Becton, Wachovia vice president. "I have children
at Daniels Middle and Joyner Elementary. It was really put
into perspective for me that day when my little girl who was
having her sixth birthday asked why all this bad stuff happened
on her birthday. I tried to explain why, and as the children
have heard us try to explain why, many of them asked how they
could help. These children in Wake County have done a tremendous
job. They make us proud to be Americans."
All of the money raised in the Pennies for Patriotism and Pride campaign will go to the September 11th Fund, established by the United Way and the New York Community Trust. The contributions will be used to respond to the immediate and longer-term needs of the victims, their families, and the communities affected by the events of September 11. One hundred percent of the contributions will be used to support these efforts.
|
Wake students raise more than $85,000
for Pennies for Patriotism and Pride
|
Letters
from Miss Gee's class
|
Reports
from schools
|
Fun
facts about pennies
|