Pennies for MS

Times Reporter

 

Setting their sights high, the staff at the Strathmore A&W have begun their newest campaign, ‘A million pennies for MS.’ The Multiple Sclerosis Society is the charity of choice by all A&W locations, and every year the Strathmore location tries to outdo itself. 

After finding out their store was fourth in Canada for MS fundraising, the staff and management knew they could do better this year.

“We raised almost $8,000 last year, and we didn’t really feel comfortable being fourth when we knew we could do so much better. We figured kicking it off with a $10,000 fundraiser was the perfect way to start this year,” said manager Will Whatley.

“Last year we did a coin drive, we went door to door through some of the areas, just asking for spare pennies, something that one of my young lads thought of. Just over the weekend we raised almost $900 in pennies.”

While brainstorming fundraising ideas, the staff realized that people often have pennies sitting around which helped form the idea of collecting a million of them for MS. 

“I’m hoping to reach this goal in probably two months, I want to have my staff going door to door through the weekends,” said Whatley. 

A portion of the proceeds, 50 per cent, will be going directly to the MS Society, and the other 50 per cent is going to help Debra Grouwstra build a wheelchair ramp at her home. Whatley said he had heard about Grouwstra from one of his former supervisors, and was told she had to spend most of last summer confined to her house because she was unable to make it up and down the stairs.

“She was looking for funds to build a ramp so I figured we’d tie it together. Half the funds we’re going to raise will go then to the MS Society and the other half will go to rebuilding the front of her house so that she has an access ramp to be able to get in and out of her house,” said Whatley.

“They (the staff) are all pretty excited about finally getting it going and really trying to make a difference, especially now that we’re going to be able to make a difference in someone’s actual life as opposed to just giving money to the foundation.”

Fundraising has already begun, though Feb.1 was the official kick off. There are two coin jars at either side of the tills in A&W where people can donate their pennies, or any other spare change. A number of other fundraising events will take place later in the year,  including a flea market, street hockey, the Kiddie Carnival and of course MS day on Aug. 30.