In an effort to help worthy organizations during the spring semester, the USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) developed, "Pennies for a Purpose", in 2008. This year's community service initiative, in its 16th year, began as the student-athletes returned from winter break. The schools had until April 18th to collect loose change which would later be donated to an organization of their choosing.
Overall, the USA South institutions collected $6,889.48 during this year's competition, an average of $688.95 per school. Over the life of the initiative, $145,607.03 have been donated to local organizations by Conference members!
With a grand total of $3,104.32 raised, Methodist is the Pennies for a Purpose champion for the first time. The Monarch total is the tenth-most accumulated in a single spring by an athletic program in the initiative's history. Pfeiffer raised $1,100.00 to finish second and William Peace was third with $552.14 collected. Additionally, five institutions (Greensboro, Mary Baldwin, Meredith, Methodist, N.C. Wesleyan) improved on their totals from last year.
This is the second community service program developed by the USA South Conference SAAC as the "Cans Across the Conference" food drive, which takes place during the Thanksgiving holiday, was created in 2004. Through that campaign, USA South Institutions have donated a total of 635,770 items to their local communities. Greensboro was victorious in that competition by collecting 4,204 items.
Below is a list of the local organizations where the USA South institutions donated their collections:
Brevard College - Transylvania (NC) Animal Shelter.
Greensboro College - Boys and Girls Club of Greensboro (NC).
Mary Baldwin University - Staunton, Virginia Valley Mission.
Meredith College - Raleigh (NC) Helen Wright Women's Center.
Methodist University - The Kay Yow Foundation and Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation – Friends of the Cancer Center.
N.C. Wesleyan University - Nash County Animal Shelter.
Pfeiffer University - St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Salem College - Winston-Salem (NC) Rescue Mission.
William Peace University - Raleigh (NC) Children's Flight of Hope.