Penny Goes a Long Way for Conn. Seventh Grader Raising Awareness, Funds (UPDATE)

“A penny saved is a penny earned.” Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote could not be more appropriate when it comes to 13-year-old Patrick Briscoe’s recent penny-fundraising campaign.

A seventh-grade student of Newtown, Conn., Briscoe has taken it upon himself to raise money , one penny at a time, to purchase a cobblestone, which will form the pathways on the national 9/11 Memorial's plaza. "Forget Me Not Pennies 9/11 Memorial Fund name is based on the fact that if we all contribute pennies, they can be combined for a greater good," Briscoe said as reported in the Newtown Bee.

So far his campaign has exceeded all expectations, soliciting pounds of coins from locals and even from Sandy Hook, Conn., resident  John Sansburn. "I've had this five-gallon container forever," Sansburn said. "I moved here from Michigan in 1996, and had lived in Canada before that, and I've been dumping pennies in a jug all along."

To date, Briscoe has raised $348 and has decided to collect 50,000 pennies, or enough to donate to the museum for a memorial glade cobblestone, which will be placed in a small clearing in a grove of trees for gatherings and special ceremonies. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is thankful for Brisoce’s efforts as they are inspiring to his peers and people of all ages. Find out more about donating a cobblestone here.

9/11 Memorial Staff