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Ksan penny drive helps buy food

Ksan Society’s penny drive started out with so many coins that more than one trip had to be made to bring them all in.

Ksan Society’s penny drive started out with so many coins that more than one trip had to be made to bring them all in.

Danny Sheridan’s initial donation was too heavy to be carried in one load, said Marianne Weston, community connector for Ksan Society.

Sheridan’s idea to capitalize on the Canadian penny going out of production inspired the society to ask people to donate pennies lurking about homes and offices to help with buying food at Transition House, said Weston.

After a laborious and lengthy collection, rolling and counting bee, the tally reached $1,146.83 by Sept. 18, she added.

People donated other coins too. Collected and rolled were 50,500 pennies, 27,000 dimes, 2,160 nickels and 920 quarters, said Weston.

The money goes directly to the food budget for women fleeing abuse at the Ksan Transition House – the busiest one in the province, she said.

“Last year, 585 distinct individuals stayed here. We feed 16 women and children every day – most nights we have to limit portions,” says executive director Carol Sabo. “We are only funded for 10 individuals on any given day and the food budget is one that can only be stretched so far. We are very grateful for all that coin.”

Ksan’s penny drive continues.