Helping out: Tuscarora students collect 'Pennies For Patients'

For the seventh year in a row, students from Tuscarora Indian School were busy collecting pennies during the month of February for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The annual fundraising campaign is organized by fourth-grade teacher Paul Beatty and is sponsored by the Tuscarora K-Kids Club.

Chet Stachura, a lymphoma cancer survivor, visited the school on April 5 to accept a check in the amount of $1,017.15 on behalf of the Leukemia Society. This brings the school's seven-year total to more than $6,300.

"Thank you very much for your generous donation." said Stachura. "All of the money donated will stay right here in Western New York to help find a cure for blood cancers and to help patients and their families during difficult times."

The entire school will be treated to an ice cream sundae party for their outstanding efforts, while Jeannine Rathmann's first-grade class will receive a $50 gift certificate from Walmart for collecting the most money per student.

Beatty and the students send special thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Lewiston for sponsoring the K-Kids program and Tuscarora Home School Council for sponsoring the ice cream party.