By JON BAKER

CRANSTON — As the campaign manager for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society/Rhode Island Chapter, Deborah Watterson was thrilled with the results of the “Pennies for Patients” program late last winter.

Over 231 schools statewide raised a whopping $299,548.
This time around, Watterson would love to break that $300,000 barrier during the 15th annual “Pennies for Patients” campaign. She worries that may not happen. She needs your help.
“At this point in time, we have 201 schools signed up, but we need another 30-35 schools to become involved if we want to reach our goal,” she said. “We’re behind right now, and we’re closing in on the program’s initiation, which will take place between March 2 and 20, though schools or others may choose their own three-week period.
“For several years now, the Rhode Island chapter has had the highest percentage of participating schools nationally,” she added. “There are 419 public and private schools in the state, and last year we had 56 percent representation, more than any of the 55 chapters nationwide. I think that speaks for the generosity of Rhode Islanders and their sense of community.”
Pure and simple, Watterson noted, the “Pennies for Patients” event is a mammoth coin drive where students bring to their respective schools their spare coinage, channel it with classmates (call them a team) and donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The “squad” that raises the most money statewide receives a special reward luncheon courtesy of longtime sponsors Domino’s Pizza or Olive Garden restaurant.
“Participating in the ‘Pennies’ program provides them an opportunity to enrich learning through meaningful service,” she offered. “Students can make a difference in the lives of local patients while helping fund life-saving research for blood cancer — including leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.
“’Pennies’ is a great way for kids to help kids. With the recent call for volunteerism in this country, ‘Pennies’ is a terrific introduction to how through time and effort, we can all make a difference in the lives of those children fighting the battle of blood cancer.”
Watterson has good news for those interested in this program: There’s still plenty of time to sign up.
“The bad? I think the numbers are down due to the economy,” she stated. “Obviously, we have to compete with other fundraisers in which schools take part, but it isn’t easy, and this is a great cause. We provide all the materials for those involved, but it also can be educational in that a lot of students nowadays must complete community service projects, and this would help them fulfill that necessity.
“We also have tools that teachers can use along with this program to help them explain to kids exactly what blood cancer is, and how it affects the body. We provide videos and written curriculum.”
She said 73 percent of all funds raised go to life-saving blood-cancer research, not to mention patient aid and services.

Watterson cited Pawtucket resident Gabby Amadon as a perfect example of how this fundraiser works. Now eight, little Gabby was diagnosed by doctors with leukemia at age 3, and underwent a bone-marrow transplant at Boston’s Dana Farber Cancer Institute in December 2007, which caused her to miss several months of school.
“With such a transplant, kids have to be in isolation in the hospital for months, and when they go home, they have to spend more months in isolation because their systems are so delicate,” Watterson stated. “The good news is that Gabby just returned to school as a second-grader at Agnes Little Elementary. She’s getting back to it, and it’s because of programs like ‘Pennies.’
“I know she’s traveled a rocky road since being diagnosed, but she’s come through it and now she’s doing very well,” she added. “You know kids, they just want to have their regular life and play and be with friends. Now she’s doing it again, and she’s very happy … In this program, the money collected is sent to our national organization in New York City, and that money is allocated to grants for blood cancer research and patient aid, where parents can be reimbursed for medical expenses.
“We have patients and children who come into our office and explain their struggles with blood cancer, and that inspires us. It makes us understand how important the work we do is … This program attracts mostly school children of all ages, but we also find businesses that want to get involved. We’ve had organizations from Girl Scout troops, credit unions, research institutes, et cetera, call us and say, ‘Hey, count us in.’ We need more of them this year; like I said, it’s the economy.”
When asked what participants get from “Pennies,” Watterson didn’t hesitate. She added that dozens of schools from throughout the Valley — Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Burrillville — have been more than kind over the years.
“Hopefully, they’re taking part because they want to help another human being in transportation to the hospital for chemo, or medical reimbursements, all of which we supply,” she said. “Obviously, though, a great incentive for school kids is food, and that’s where Domino’s and Olive Garden come in.
“The areas of Pawtucket, Woonsocket and Central Falls, every year, those kids have been very generous with the amount of money they donate, and also the number of schools that participate,” she continued. “There are other areas we need to get more involved if we want to reach our goal of $300,000.”
With a laugh, she also mentioned, “By the way, we love and accept coins — pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, it all adds up — but we also accept bills and checks.”
For more information, call Watterson at (401) 943-8888.