(Albany, NY -05/03/06)-  The Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is happy to announce another very successful year raising funds through Pennies for Patients, with 103 participating schools.

Pennies for Patients is a program where local schools raise money to fund research and patient support services for people battling blood cancer.  This fundraiser has always been a great way to bring students, faculty, and even the community together, to work towards a common goal and help a very worthwhile cause. 

Carmella Morrison, a PTA member from Brinckerhoff Elementary, a regular participant in the program, said "We continue to do this because its become a big competition within the school between teachers and classes.  Parents and kids both think it's a great program." 

This year it was more important than ever to raise money, as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has committed $1 million to restoring health care to communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina.  $500,000 of this money will come directly from School and Youth programs, like Pennies for Patients. 

Many schools came up with their own unique way to raise funds, from having a crazy hat day to selling doughnuts for a cure.  Some schools set goals for how much money they intended to raise, and had everyone work towards that goal.  Bellows Falls High School in Vermont, even went so far as to have the principal, along with the entire social studies department, shave their heads when the school reached its goal. 

Jane Wingle of St. Catherine of Siena School, who raised close to $1,000 this year, said her school takes one main day to fundraise.  "Everyone pays $1 to dress down for the day", she says.  The student council organizes the program and students go around and talk to each classroom about the program before it begins.  Flyers are passed around and sent out in the school newsletter.  "It's encouraging and we like that it's low key" says Wingle. 

Pennies for Patients will wrap up at the end of April.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the schools who participated this year, and looks forward to breaking new records next year, as students and communities come together to selflessly give to this very worthwhile cause.

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