‘Pennies for Patients’ collected

Students in RoAnn Trout’s fifth grade class at Sacred Heart Area Elementary School in Staples recently finished their “Pennies for Patients” fundraiser. The event raised funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In the two-week period for the fundraiser, they had set a goal of $300. The final amount raised; $663.61, doubling their goal, with their class collecting one-third of the total raised. It began with one penny, which the class counted each day. “It showed us that it doesn’t matter the size of the class, it’s the size of the heart that matters,” said Zachary McIlravy. The service project was selected by the class in honor of Lucille Koval a volunteer “grandma” at SHAS who died of LLS, a type of blood cancer. Lucille was fifth grader Gabe Koval’s grandmother.

Above, left: Zachary McIlravy, RoAnn Trout, Ashlyn Vogel, Emali Jimenez, Lauren Rutten, Gabe Koval and Carter Gregerson. The class will celebrate their efforts with a pizza party. (Staples World photo by Janice Winter)