Westfield Middle School South Builders Club members Miranda Boudreau, rear, and Mary Philpott work on a wall display for the school-wide “Pennies for Patients” fundraiser. Proceeds of the month-long event will benefit leukemia and lymphoma research. (Photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Students at Westfield Middle School South are having a war. And they need more recruits.
This war is being waged against leukemia and lymphoma and students need residents to bring their loose change to help patients battling the disease.
Organized by the Builder’s Club, a Kiwanis-sponsored club at the school, grades six, seven and eight are having a Pennies for Patients Penny War through the end of the month. They hope to reach their $1,000 goal with your help.
Advisors Samantha Petrillo, a seventh grade math teacher, and Ali Curto, a seventh grade inclusion teacher, said they hope the public will bring their change to the school this weekend during the Westfield Middle South production of “Gone with the Breeze.”
“We will have our collection jugs at the auditorium and in the cafeteria during admission,” said Petrillo.
To ramp-up the competition between the grade levels, the war has a bit of a twist.
“Anything other than pennies will not be counted towards the winning grade,” Curto said.
The goal is, of course, to raise as much money for leukemia and lymphoma patients as possible, so donations of any size are welcome – especially bills. However, Curto said, if there is a $1 bill in a jar, it subtracts 100 pennies from that grade’s score.
Seventh grader Mary Philpott said it makes it more fun.
“Students are going around putting dollars in the other grade’s jars,” she said. “It makes it more competitive.”
The grade level with the most pennies collected will be rewarded with an ice-cream party, with treats provided by Friendly’s.
This is the Kiwanis Builder’s Club‘s first year at the school, and the first Pennies for Patients drive. Curto said previously, she and Petrillo advised a leadership club, but Kiwanis stepped in to support a Builder’s Club, which is essentially a community service club.
“I did the Pennies for Patients at Highland Elementary School five years ago and it was a success,” said Curto. “We are hoping to get as many donations as possible, as well as recruit more club members for next year.”
Eighth grade student Miranda Boudreau said the stories of those affected by the diseases – including the school’s “Little Hero” two year-old Pierce – are what motivated her to participate in the penny drive.
“There are some very inspiring stories,” she said. “I hope people will donate during the play and think of the people they would be helping and what they have to deal with.”
“Gone with the Breeze” opens tonight at 7 p.m., with an additional performance Saturday at 7 p.m.
