(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 ninth year, began as the student-athletes returned from winter break. The schools had until April 7th to collect loose change which would later be donated to an organization of their choosing. The end of this year's initiative coincides with the NCAA's fifth-annual Division III Week.

Overall, the USA South institutions collected a record $10,084.36! Helping the Conference achieve the new record was the fact that eight institutions (Averett, Covenant, Ferrum, Greensboro, LaGrange, Maryville, Methodist and N.C. Wesleyan) improved on their totals from the previous year while seven of those institutions (Averett, Covenant, Ferrum, LaGrange, Maryville, Methodist and N.C. Wesleyan) established program records for funds collected. Over the nine-year history of the program, the USA South institutions have donated $42,255.93 to local organizations. 

With a grand total of $4,396.21, Averett is the Pennies for a Purpose champion for the second consecutive year. The amount the Cougars raised is the highest single-year total collected in the history of this competition. Averett will be re-presented the Pennies for a Purpose plaque at a later date. LaGrange raised $1,491.20 to finish second with the sixth-highest single-year total collected. In third place was Methodist with $1,257.93 raised which is the seventh-highest single-year amount collected. Rounding out the top-four was Maryville who collected $1,227.02 which is the eighth-highest single-year amount raised.

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 339,094 items to their local communities. Averett was also victorious in that competition collecting 12,146 items.

Below is a list of the local organizations where the USA South institutions donated their collections:

Averett University - The Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research and assisting a former Averett student-athlete battling cancer.
Covenant College - Members of the Covenant community battling Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Ferrum College - St. James Food Pantry.
Greensboro College - Make A Wish foundation.
LaGrange College - Autism Speaks.
Mary Baldwin College - The Mary Baldwin chapter of Help Save The Next Girl.
Maryville College - Split between The Kay Yow Foundation, Knoxville Area Rescue Mission, Second Harvest and Special Olympics.
Meredith College - Special Olympics of Wake County, North Carolina.
Methodist University - The Kay Yow Foundation.
N.C. Wesleyan College - The Wounded Warrior Project.
William Peace University - Coaches vs. Cancer.

COLLECTION PHOTOS

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