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Plymouth Elementary #1 in nation for raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Colonial School District ›  |  Posted on
Michelle Weidamoyer’s second grade class at PE with Hannah Reagan from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The class raised more than $6,000 for the cause and had three of the top five student fundraisers.

After a successful Laps for Leukemia Color Run, several lemonade stands and the help of the Colonial School District community, Plymouth Elementary School (PE) will be donating $30,968.90 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) — making PE the top elementary school fundraiser for LLS in the country.

“My favorite was the lemonade stands,” said PE Second Grader Mia Mascaro. “We did it at Corropolese Bakery; we did it at the baseball park. I think we got a lot of money.”

For the past five years, the PE Spirit Team — a community service club open to third grade students at the K-3 school — voted to support the LLS through “Pennies for Patients.”

“My favorite part was helping kids with cancer, because if they’re super sick and the medicine is really expensive, the money can help pay for it,” added PE Second Grader Christian DiGiacomo.

After raising more than $21,000 in 2018, PE found out that a $25,000 donation came with extra incentives.

“$25,000 is a big benchmark, because they get to name a research grant and direct the funds to a certain portfolio that we’re supporting at LLS,” said Hannah Reagan, Senior Campaign Manager of the Student Series Campaign of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “When you think about K-3 kids coming together how they did, under the great leadership of Mrs. Weidamoyer and some of the other wonderful teachers who work here, it’s a huge accomplishment. The kids did fantastic.”

PE has selected to fund a research portfolio specifically targeting pediatric cancer. The school will receive annual progress reports and will be listed in the LLS Annual Report as a top campaign fundraiser and research supporter. PE’s donation is the most raised by any elementary school and fourth highest out of more than 27,000 K-12 schools across the country.