(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) – This winter, the USA South Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) announced the start of its new spring community service initiative, "Pennies for a Purpose". This penny drive began on March 1 and continued until April 6. Until that time, schools were encouraged to collect loose change which would later be donated to an organization of their choosing.

Overall, the USA South institutions collected $2,721.76! With a grand total of $1,081.29, Peace College is the Pennies for a Purpose champion for 2008. Peace will donate their winning amount to "Relay For Life" which is an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society to fund life-saving cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient services in the community. The Pacers will be presented the Pennies for a Purpose plaque at a later date.

Relay For Life not only will receive a check from Peace but Mary Baldwin and Shenandoah will also donate to the organization. Averett University will send its allotment to the American Cancer Society while Christopher Newport University decided to donate its collection to the Peninsula Food Bank in Newport News, Va. Ferrum College will send its donation to the St. James Community Center in Ferrum, Va. while Meredith College will donate its change to the Miracle League in Raleigh, N.C. Methodist University has pledged to donate its amount to the Cape Fear Valley Breast Cancer Center.

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 17,387 items to their local communities.

To see the campus SAACs in action, go to http://www.usasouth.net/user/campussaacs.htm.

2008 USA South "Pennies for a Purpose" Final Results