Pennies Add Up for Hurricane Victims

The GCE created the penny war so that dorms would compete with each other to see who could “score” the most points. Large jugs with each dorm’s name were left on the battlefield (outside of the Dining Hall) for a few hours on various days. The rules for the penny war were as follows: any coin in a dorm’s jug added one point to that dorm’s score, and any bill in a dorm’s jar took away one point. Students could stuff bills into other dorm's containers to lower their opponents' score, while putting coins in their own dorm's jar to rack up points. All coins added one point and all bills subtracted one point, regardless of the monetary value of the bill or coin. With points for the Dorm Olympics and a check-in feed on the line, students emptied their wallets, checked between couch cushions, and hurried to the mailroom to make withdrawals to fill the large jugs.

Though there was a competitive aspect to the penny war, in the end, it didn’t matter which dorm won. What mattered was that the GCE organized an activity that ultimately unified the campus and got everyone thinking about the importance of donating to those in need. It raised not only money—about $364—but also awareness. For those as fortunate as Groton students and faculty, it is important to realize how crucial it is to help those in need, because the fact is, we are able to help and that is a blessing in itself.

Of the money raised, every penny is being sent to help hurricane-ravaged communities via the One America Appeal, which gives 100 percent of donations to charities involved in the recoveries in Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.—Andrew Rasetti '18