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June 26, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 23, 2004 Pennies from children By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings TALENT - "A penny saved is a penny earned." This famous saying by Benjamin Franklin became quite evident to Rebecca Singleton when she visited Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland last summer with her Talent Middle School leadership group. As she was given a tour of the facility, it became clear to her that many of the needed services and equipment came from students such as herself, a 13-year-old 8th-grader. For 10 years, schools throughout Oregon and Washington, including Rebecca's, have been doing fundraisers like penny drives to raise funds for the hospital. So far, the schools have raised more than $2 million, with $30,000-plus coming from TMS. "You're up there and you see all this equipment that saves lives and you're like 'Wow, I helped pay for this with a penny,'" Singleton said. "I realized a penny goes a long way." This week, members of the school's leadership class have gone to each classroom collecting pennies from students. As of Thursday, the school has raised more than $700, said Judy Casad, leadership advisor and school secretary. "It's important for young people to learn the significance of doing something for someone else," she said. "I couldn't be more proud if there were my own kids. They're so loving, compassionate and do everything from the heart." On Thursday, as the cart wheeled into classrooms, excited students jumped to their class penny jars and poured the coins into one of three containers, hoping they're grade level will be victorious. The money is broken off by grade levels to see who can raise the most money . So far, the 6th-graders have the lead, said leadership student Terra Fry, 13, an 8th-grader. "A lot of the 6th-graders are into it because they're new and want to beat the 8th-graders," she said. "It's fun, but it's also good for the school to help people in need." While there is friendly competition, there are no prizes for first place, just the satisfaction of knowing they made a difference. The penny drive ends on Monday. Chris Kammel, 11, a 6th-grader, has already donated $5 to the penny drive from money earned doing yardwork. Sure, he wants to beat the 8th-graders, which is a lot of fun, he said, but he doesn't lose sight of the fact the money is going to a children's hospital. "It's good to help kids who need to go to the hospital," Kammel said. "I like to give them a hand." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams