The University of Wyoming residence halls and the Department of Residence Life & Dining Services recently raised $1,705 in the 2009 Penny Wars service project. The event benefitted the student run FACE AIDS project and the Laramie Community Holiday Project.
"Penny Wars provides an opportunity for different organizations to get the support they need," says resident assistant Kristine Keeney, a senior in criminal justice from Stevensville, Mont. "We decided to support FACE AIDS and the Laramie Community Holiday Project because they are very active in the Laramie community."
The project also received matching funds from UW President Tom Buchanan, bringing the total amount to $3,410. A donation of $1,705 was presented to Karen Royce of the Laramie Community Holiday Program and $1,705 was presented to Sarah Gregory of FACE AIDS.
"FACE AIDS raises money for an organization called Partners in Health that builds public health clinics in rural areas of developing countries; we support their two clinics in Rwanda," says FACE AIDS project member Zach Peters, a senior in zoology from Buffalo. "Education is the key for these children to escape a life of poverty and disease. The money that we have graciously received from Penny Wars will be used for both public health and education."
Students living in the residence halls solicited donations on behalf of their floors. Residents competed to raise the most "penny points" for their floor and to raise the most money for their hall proportional to its residential population.
Orr Hall came in first overall with $614.62. The winning floors in each hall were the White Hall Honors House floor, the fourth floor of Downey Hall, the second floor of McIntyre Hall, the fifth floor of Orr Hall and the fifth floor of Hill Hall.
"This is a tremendous endowment and a great reflection of the compassion and high spirited willingness that characterizes UW's residents," said Becky Adair, Downey Hall area coordinator.
This was the fifth consecutive year that UW residence halls sponsored Penny Wars. Last year the project raised more than $1,900.
Posted on Thursday, April 23, 2009