HARTLAND, Maine — Students at Somerset Elementary School in Hartland crowded into their auditorium Friday morning to celebrate the success of a school-wide penny fundraiser aimed at helping those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Somerset teachers Allie Hessen and Denise Bates both have families impacted by Hurricane Helene and were moved by the footage coming out of the Asheville area, where the hurricane caused significant damage.
"We knew there wasn't much we could do from up here," Hessen said. "So, we decided the best course of action was to raise some money."
The two teachers said after they introduced the idea earlier in October, students immediately embraced the challenge and wanted to learn more.
"We happened to be studying extreme weather," Hessen explained. "So we were able to look at images and footage, and the students were emotionally impacted by it."
In the following days, they said kids spent their free time searching everywhere for pennies to see which class could raise the most money.
"They took everything they could find, and they were asking relatives. Cleaning out their couches, cleaning out their parents' cars," Bates said.
To further motivate students the teachers said they added a twist to the competition: Bringing silver coins would actually deduct from a class’s total, something third grader Atticus Cayer and his brother Finn took advantage of to sabotage other classes while still contributing to the overall total.
"We liked putting silver coins in other people's bins," Cayer said while smiling and holding up a nickel.
In just four days, the students raised a total of $1,360, all of which was donated to the American Red Cross.
"This is enormous," Caroline King, executive director of the American Red Cross for Northern and Eastern Maine, said. "These kids put their heart and soul into this gift."
King said these funds will be invaluable to hurricane relief efforts and serve as a reminder that even a small community can make a difference.
She explained the funds would go "to support shelters, to support feeding, to supply blankets, to make sure that the families have the immediate resources that they need."
"Everything, every little bit matters," King added.
NEWS CENTER Maine is also partnering with the American Red Cross to collect donations for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, if you'd like to help you can visit this link.