(FAYETTEVILLE,
N.C.) – 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
fourth year, began on March 1. The schools had until April 7 to
collect loose change which would later be donated to
an organization of their choosing.
Overall, the USA South institutions collected $3,629.10! Over the
four-year history of the program, the USA South institutions have
donated $17,367.08 to local organizations. With a grand total of
$760.00, Christopher Newport University is the Pennies for a
Purpose champion for 2011. CNU will donate its winning amount to
World Vision, an organization assisting Japan recover from the
devastating tsunami which struck the country in March. The
Captains will be presented the Pennies for a Purpose plaque at a
later date. Meredith College raised $650.00 to finish second
while Peace College's $562.37 total rounded out the
top-three.
In addition to CNU,
Averett donated its collection to the relief efforts
in Japan through the Red Cross. Ferrum College donated its amount
to the local St. James Center. Greensboro College gave its amount
to Team Jack, an organization that raises money for two former
Greensboro student-athletes whose two-year-old son is battling
brain tumors. Mary Baldwin College made its donation to Relay for
Life while Meredith College gave its total to the Raleigh, NC
Women's Shelter. Methodist University is still deciding where to
send its collection while N.C. Wesleyan College's collection
was donated to the Red Cross' "Heroes Campaign" which takes place
during the months of March and April. Peace College gave its total
to pediatric sarcoma research at Duke University in
memory of Dave Ostiguy. Finally, Shenandoah University donated its
collection to Nolan through the Make A Wish foundation.
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 178,704 items to their local communities.