On Feb. 3, Olive Garden hosted their annual “Pasta for Pennies” fundraiser, in which students collect money to aid thousands of people who suffer from blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.

“From ‘Pasta for Pennies’, everyone can benefit,” ASB member sophomore Kyra Badiner said. “From the fundraiser, students learn how to work together as a team by collecting money.”

Three weeks long, this fundraiser ended on Feb. 23. Since 1994, this program raised more than $53 million to support the fight against blood-related cancers and the families affected.  According to their website, two million elementary, middle and high school students in more than 2,700 schools across the country have started already to collect money to help benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“I think pasta for pennies is about helping the people and their families who have leukemia,” sophomore Katie Chase said. “By raising money in our forth period class, I’m truly happy to be a part of this great fundraiser and the awareness that it spreads.”

ASB junior representative Tiffany Smith runs the “Pasta for Pennies” fundraiser at our school, and hopes to see a lot of money raised for this charitable organization.

“This is my first year in ASB and I feel like I’m already doing big things by running the “Pasta for Pennies” fundraiser at our school,” Smith said.  “Also, with the money we make, we can possibly help pay for the expense treatments of the cancer patients.”

Students were strongly recommended to donate to the boxes in their fourth period.  By just passing around the box every other day, Mr. Spaniers’ class was able to raise the most money with a total of $101, earning themselves a pasta and breadstick party presented by Olive Garden.

“I’m very proud of them and we talked about how it helps kids with cancer,” Spanier said. “It’s not about getting pasta.”