What's A Penny Good For?

Last year, I wrote an inspirational email a week to raise money for Pyramid Atlantic.



Folks who received my email were inspired, donated to Pyramid via our website and I raised $5,000 in 13 weeks. The money funded 69 art classes and workshops, 50 internships, studios for 419 artists and events for 7,539 people of all ages at Pyramid.

This year, I am going to raise 1,000,000,000 pennies ($10,000) and I want you to help me.

But first a dose of inspiration:

10 years ago, my brothers and I were cleaning out my dad's house after he passed away. We had been at it for two days and had not made a dent. He was a pack rat. Clothes with the price tags still, business cards from previous jobs, and thousands of promotional "chachkies." My dad was a salesman and sold everything. I was leaving the next day and I remember going through his things and wanting to find something special to always remember him by. I lived in Silver Spring and he was living in Miami when he died. I thought that once I flew back, he would slowly just begin to fade from my memory as I went back to work and my daily routine.

I didn't have a coat at that time and in his closet I saw this beige leather Tommy Hilfiger coat. I can see my dad wearing it. I took it and said this is the thing that is going to remind me of him and everytime I wear it. When I got back to Silver Spring, I wore it out a few times. It didn't fit me very well. It was a 50 year old man's coat and here I was this 32 year old guy wearing it. You get the picture. So I put it in my closet in 2002 and it just hung there. I would look at it from time to time and think of my Dad. Every Spring, we would clean house and get rid of things we didn't wear anymore, I would look at that coat and think of getting rid of it, but I never could. This Winter, they had a coat drive for families at my youngest son's school, Rolling Terrace Elementary, and I donated the coat. I was afraid of forgetting about my dad and the exact opposite has happened. 10 years later, I think about him all the time and in doing so, I remember my Dad was a generous man and remember that he looked out for other people. So I donated the coat, because I think that is what he would have wanted and in giving away my dad's coat, he and I are closer than ever.

I hope I inspired you to join me in my 1,000,000,000 penny campaign today! Its easy:

• Contact me to pick up your pennies I will pick them up, count them and give you a tax receipt for your charitable contribution!
• Make a Penny drop. Drop your pennies off at Pyramid. I will count them and give you a tax receipt.
• Visit a Penny Partner and drop your pennies. Go to Kefa Cafe, Fillmore Silver Spring, Velatis Caramels and ArtSpring.
  

Join me at Pyramid this Friday, February 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m for my Penny Campaign Cocktail Kick Off. We will be drinking the Brandy Crusta courtesy of Casey Anderson and Mr. Booze. Bring your pennies!

If all this penny stuff is too complicated and you just want to make a contribution, no denomination will be turned away . You can donate in any form of currency to Pyramid Atlantic by clicking here. I will add up your donation in pennies and include it in my campaign.

I hope you will join me on my journey. I promise to take a picture with all the pennies on my way to Eagle Bank. I promise to write to inspire you and not quit until I do.