Patriots assist Wickes students with ‘Pasta for Pennies’ drive

Posted 4/10/14

What do the Patriots have to do with pennies?

As it turns out, a lot according to John Wickes School Teacher Assistant Denise Burgess.

“Thank you Patriots,” Burgess said yesterday as she …

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Patriots assist Wickes students with ‘Pasta for Pennies’ drive

Posted

What do the Patriots have to do with pennies?

As it turns out, a lot according to John Wickes School Teacher Assistant Denise Burgess.

“Thank you Patriots,” Burgess said yesterday as she celebrated a three-week “Pasta for Pennies” drive that raised an amazing $2,859.06.

So what did the Patriots have to do with the drive benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?

On a lark, Burgess wrote the Patriots and asked if they could help. Her efforts didn’t stop there. She also wrote the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Bruins. All three teams came through with items she raffled off.

The Patriots sent a football autographed by tight end Rob Gronskowski while the Red Sox sent a signed photo of John Lackey and the Bruins sent a puck.

Burgess estimates the sports memorabilia raised more than $1,000. In addition, there were baskets and toys for raffle items, plus donations from students.

The fifth grade class of Anne Mulshenock that raised $315 took home the honors and won the pasta dinner to be served up on April 17 by the Olive Garden.

Student Madison Leach set the class fundraising pace with a contribution of $78.

And how did she get the money?

“Out of my wallet,” she said yesterday. As she explained, the money was from birthday gifts, doing chores and saving. One of her classmates, Sara Bowles, an avid Patriots fan, was the winner of the football. She estimates she bought 50 $1 tickets in the raffle. Now the ball sits on her bureau in a revered place.

Sara said one aspect of the drive, which was especially challenging, was counting all the money. She got a lot of help from classmate Robert Tavares.

“You’d lose track and have to start all over again,” she said.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, however, is keeping close tabs.

According to Deborah Watterson, 202 Rhode Island schools are participating in the drive this year, or about 55 percent of eligible Rhode Island schools, making for the greatest participation in the country.

She is hopeful this year’s drive will surpass the $303,165 raised last year. On average, schools raise about $1,450.

Last year Warwick’s Greenwood School raised $6,082, making it the second highest school amount raised in the state.

Watterson said Pasta for Pennies and Pennies for Patients are identical programs. Top classrooms raising Pennies for Patients celebrate with Domino’s Pizza.

“These families are really so generous,” Watterson said of the outpouring of support.

And she put in a special thank you to Ed Geick, the chef at the Warwick Olive Garden

“He really puts his heart into it,” she said, adding that Geick lost his brother to leukemia.

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