Kit Carson Elementary Piles up the Pennies

Students collected twice as much as last year’s Pennies for Patients fund raiser.

May 8, 2012

Kit Carson Elementary students gathered more change than ever in this year’s Pennies for Patients fund raiser. They collected $2,057.14 to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, nearly double the $1,175 brought in last year. 

The difference? Probably the individual collection boxes that students carried into their neighborhoods and filled up. Last year, boxes were located only inside the school, family and community support liaison Monica Rimbert said. Students may also have been motivated after learning during the promotion that a kindergartener at Kit Carson has been battling leukemia. 

“Students were more excited about it (than last year),” Rimbert said. “Also, (the fund raiser) touched home with the (kindergartener’s) family, and they brought in quite a bit of money.” 

Last year was the first time Kit Carson students participated in Pennies for Patients, which is held at a number of Albuquerque schools. Students collect small change from donors, and it all adds up. Funds go to pay for research, patient services and awareness of leukemia and lymphoma.