(April 8, 2005) -- Pennies for Patients has been an established program since 1995 setup by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise blood cancer awareness and donations to find a cure. Clark’s donation drive ends today and the class collecting the most change will receive a pizza party.

Earlier in the year Clare Cameron, Sr. Campaign Manager of the Greater LA Chapter in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, contacted ASB director Kristina Provost to see if she was interested in conducting the Pennies for Patients program. However, due to other ongoing events, the request was put aside and left open to any student interested in organizing and putting together the project. ASB president senior Roseanne Magat seized this opportunity to make it her senior project as there was nothing in particular she had in mind and it “gives you the satisfaction that you make a difference,” said Magat.

Pennies for Patients canisters were distributed on March 11 and an assembly was held March 28 to encourage students to donate their change. During the assembly Cameron and Clark’s honoree patient, Sami Gilbert spoke about the disease and how it affects peoples’ lives. Following the assembly was a video of a teenage boy living with blood cancer.

Magat has been consistently collecting canisters during tutorial and as of yesterday, Mary Mardirossians’ class had collected the most money with over $600.