More than 5,000 children are diagnosed with blood cancers each year. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is ‘the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer’ according to their website www.lls.org. The organization’s mission is to cure blood cancers and improve the lives of those living with blood cancer and their families. The Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club decided to sponsor the organization’s nationwide fundraising program ‘Pennies for Patients’ within the school.

“I don’t know how many years we’ve done [Pennies for Patients], but it’s a pretty long-standing tradition,” said HOSA president senior Fallon Million. “Our end goal was $500. We didn’t quite reach that.”

Donation boxes were open for a few weeks starting on Jan. 28. Students teamed up with their seminar to raise money. After a short extension due to snow days, the fundraiser was finally wrapped up on Feb. 12.

“I’m a little disappointed in the freshman class just because they’re more likely to have cash on them,” Million said. “ I understand why people didn’t make a specific trip to the bank, but I know that kids carry change around for vending machines and stuff. If each student would’ve donated 50 cents we would’ve hit our goal.”

P.E. teacher Tony Hein’s seminar won the fundraising competition with a total of $104 raised. Business teacher Tyler Swalley’s seminar came in second with $70.78 raised. Students in these seminars received ice-cream sundaes provided by HOSA.

“It feels good [to raise money] because [this fundraiser] was a worthy cause,” said freshman Cody Headings, a member of Hein’s seminar. “I hope it can really help [children living with blood cancer] out and change the way their life is.”

Though the fundraiser is over, donations can still be made through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s website at www.studentseries.org/donate.

“I chose to donate because, once again, it was a worthy cause and I had some spare money,” Headings said. “[Donating] makes me feel happy that I could help out.”