Suffield Students Collect Coins for Heat

Plastic zipper bags marked with sticky fingerprints, crumpled envelopes and pockets full of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters have been finding their way to and schools since Jan. 24.

Students have been pulling coins out of their piggy banks for a very good cause: to provide heating assistance for Suffield residents. 

Students brought in spare change each day and counted the daily total. They added up each day's contribution and found their weekly earnings. They are not just learning how to solve math problems, they are learning how to work to solve problems in their own community.

“Every year our schools try to do some kind of altruistic program or event,” Jack Ferraro, assistant principal at McAlister, said.

This is the second time the schools have run a Coins for Heat program. The event was originally scheduled to end on Feb. 11 but in consideration of the effect of seven snow days on the two schools, the event was extended through Feb. 18.

The children raised more than $1,000 prior to the extension, with all the funds going to the Suffield Emergency Aid Association.

“I think anytime we can involve our kids in community service and just helping others and take the focus off of themselves, it’s amazing," Ferraro said.

"Our kids so badly want to help, I think this generation more than any other just really wants to help others, they have such empathy of others and others' situations. They get a lot out of it. They are just really thoughtful kids," the assistant principal said.