By Alice Wanamaker
For the fifth year in a row the students at Northampton’s Borough Elementary school collected pennies for patients of Leukemia and Lymphoma and once again broke the previous year’s record. The penny drive ran from January 14 to February 4 at the school with students dropping their pennies in buckets placed around the building. The students, faculty and staff at the school all participated in the Student Council organized event and raised $6,731.83 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They topped last year’s collection of $6,513 and brought the five year total donation to $26,095.09.
Student Council advisor Gary Pierzga helped the students organize the penny drive with the students. In his presentation he thanked borough police Chief Morey who helped move the pennies from the school to the bank. He also thank KNBT staff who counted all of the pennies. “We kept them pretty busy” he said of both groups. Pierzga was joined by Pam Leiche from the LLS, School Board member Jean Rundle and Mayor Reenock in congratulating the students. Leiche left the students with a message of hope, “pennies will lead to dollars, dollars will lead to cures.” She said after accepting the check from Student Council members.
Within the school a competition was held between grades to see who could collect the most. While it was close, first grade took home that honor and won a pizza party by collecting $1,125.44 just $6.20 more than kindergarten.
