craigdailypress.com

Forgive 7-year-old Zoey Quale, an East Elementary School first-grader, if she's a bit confused about the exact purpose behind the donation she made Friday at school.

Still, her heart was in the right place.

"I want to help people around the world so they won't have to eat out of the trash can," said Zoey, after depositing 105 pennies from her small pink purse into a big white bucket.

Same goes for 6-year-old Aaron Daigle, a first-grader at the school, who contributed to the bucket Friday with his own good intentions.

"I want to help people because I don't want them to die," Aaron said.

The students' donations are part of the Moffat County School District's version of the "Pennies for Peace" program.

Although the fundraiser doesn't directly address the issues two of its student supporters spoke of Friday, it does seek to improve the lives of impoverished people.

"Pennies for Peace," which began this week at each of the district's schools, is designed to bolster educational opportunities for children in the Middle East.

The School District "believes it is important to teach students the benefits of giving," according to a letter administrators sent home to parents. "Therefore, the Moffat County School Administration Team supports the donation of money to good causes that promote the welfare of others.

"Pennies for Peace educates children about the world beyond their experience and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time."

In Pakistan and Afghanistan, the countries aided by the fundraiser, the literacy rate is 54 percent and 28 percent, respectively, the School District letter states.

"In these countries," administrators said in the letter, "a penny can buy a pencil."

Two East Elementary School staffers - literacy paraprofessionals Diane Cookston and Roberta Hawks - organized the program in Moffat County after being inspired by Greg Mortenson's book, "Three Cups of Tea."

The book is about the author's efforts to address poverty and other cultural divides after being cared for by villagers in Pakistan while ill from a failed attempt to climb K2, the world's second-tallest mountain.

The book is an inspiring read, Hawks said.

"Very much so," she said Friday. "Crack it open tonight, I'm telling you."

"I think it speaks to people who just want to make a difference," Cookston said.

A power point presentation about the fundraiser lists other big impacts small amounts of money can have in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It costs $1 a day, according to the presentation, to pay a teacher's salary, and $1 a month to educate a child. Money raised also will be used to pay for books and school supplies.

More than 3,000 schools around the globe have participated in "Pennies for Peace."

Collection containers are located at each district school, and the fundraiser lasts until April 30.

Hawks said there is no target fundraising goal.

"We didn't put a number on it," she said. "We just want to see however much we can raise."

Local residents and businesses also may participate. Anyone interested in having a collection container should call Hawks at 824-7214 or Cookston at 824-5566.

An account also has been opened at Bank of the West, 139 E. Victory Way in Craig, for donations.