Moon Township, Pa. – For the third straight year, the Northeast Conference (NEC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) lent its support to the children's Cancer Recovery Foundation by conducting a "Penny Wars" fundraiser for the organization. The conference-wide community service initiative raised $7,615 for the foundation, which is based in Harrisburg, Pa.
The Robert Morris University Department of Athletics earned the "Penny Wars" trophy for the second straight year, raising $3,028.
In order to raise money, SAAC members spent the months of January and February promoting a fundraising challenge at their respective institutions. The appropriately named "Penny Wars" saw student-athletes compete within their athletic departments to see which teams could collect the most pennies over a two-week period. Larger coins and dollar bills canceled penny equivalents, so opposing teams were able to thwart the competition while still donating to a great cause.
"I'm very proud to know that we can come together and accomplish something this significant," said Leah Prentice, a junior on the Robert Morris women's soccer team in 2012 and a member of the NEC SAAC. "The year before in 2011-12, we raised around $2,700, so just to eclipse that total was something to be proud of in itself. I think it showed our student-athletes how much you can do when everybody is in it together. I hope that next year that we can raise more money than we did this year because the Cancer Recover Foundation is really such a worthwhile charity and it's just great that the conference has that connection with them."
Since the partnership began in 2010, the NEC has contributed nearly $22,000 to the Cancer Recovery Foundation.
"I think it's great to have us involved with such a good charity that raises money for children with cancer," said Prentice. "The Penny Wars is a simple and easy thing that we can do on campus and a great way to get our student-athletes involved in charitable giving. I hope the NEC continues to stay involved with the Cancer Recovery Foundation because it's such a good cause and those children really need help in whatever way we can give."
The money raised goes to the Foundation's Helping Hands charity, which provides emergency financial relief to families whose children have cancer and are experiencing financial strain as a result. Donations end up footing the bill for dire situations like rent evictions and utility shut-off notices.
"The Northeast Conference membership is dedicated to giving back to their communities and those who are less fortunate, and the NEC SAAC epitomizes that commitment with the "Penny Wars" fundraising efforts that benefit the Cancer Recovery Foundation," said NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. "We are incredibly proud that our student-athletes commit the same amount of energy and passion to compete for the "Penny Wars" title as they do to compete for the NEC Championship titles, and we are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Cancer Recovery Foundation."
The Northeast Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee consists of 24 members - comprised of two varsity athletes from each conference institution - who give voice to the student-athlete perspective on a regional and national level. The committee provides a medium for its members to develop leadership skills, promote community service and enhance the overall student-athlete experience.
If you would like to donate to the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation, you can find more information at http://www.cancerrecovery.org or call 1-800-238-6479.
