Our Stories - Life is Precious

Pennies for Hospice Care
Christi Mangold

Jun, 2015

Pennies – they fall to the bottom of our purse and lay there until we get around to cleaning them out.  They sit in dishes on counters in stores all across the country, or on our dressers, or get tossed in an empty glass bottle and sit. One penny doesn’t seem like much, in fact, it seems almost worthless.

Perhaps – but how about 50,157 of those shiny copper coins?  Sound a little more valuable?  It certainly is…to the tune of $501.57.  That’s exactly what the students from the classes of K-8th at River School in Sodus thought, too!  Add in $100 from a great corporate neighbor, Chemical Bank, and you have $601.57 to donate to Hospice at Home!!  

The classes at River School in Sodus recently held a penny drive for Hospice at Home.  One of their student teachers, Christi Mangold, is a faithful volunteer for us.   Christi approached us about the students doing a penny drive as a fundraiser in March.  We thought it was a great way to engage kids in volunteering and giving back to their communities.  

So the students could feel a real connection to Hospice at Home, we sent our Volunteer Coordinator, Julie Bommarito, to read in their classrooms.  She truly enjoyed the time spent with the students, and they were so excited and proud when we were presented with the check for $601.57. They loved hearing about how their efforts in collecting all of those pennies would help Hospice at Home take care of people in this community.  It was a great learning experience for them and a joy for us to be surrounded by such loving, giving children.  

Remember – find a penny…..pick it up!!