WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderHundreds Celebrate Pennies for Peace Success

Hundreds Celebrate Pennies for Peace Success

By Bob Schaper

ROCKFORD - What started as a unique fundraising drive one year ago, ends with smiles, songs and a very large check.

Hundreds turned out at Rockford's International Day of Peace to celebrate the success of Rockford's Pennies for Peace campaign. This year's goal was $50,000 and we learned Friday the total topped $51,000.

"Well, first we go home and we collect change and all the money that we can so that we can bring it into school so that we can help to build schools in Afghanistan," said Spring Creek Elementary Student Kayla Johnson.

In a nutshell, that's exactly what Pennies for Peace is all about.

Best-selling author and peace activist Greg Mortenson was in town to accept Rockford's gift of pennies, more than five million of them. For the last 15 years Mortenson, a former mountain climber turned activist, has preached the power of small gifts. "Well, with the pennies it's kind of a metaphor. What can you buy for a penny in Rockford? Pretty much nothing. But in Africa and Afghanistan you can buy a pencil. It's not that a pencil's so important, but what education does is gives a child hope," said Mortenson.

Mortenson knows how important hope can be. After nearly dying while climbing the world's second highest mountain in 1993, Pakistan villagers nursed him back to health. Repaying their kind deed has been his life's mission ever since.

That message inspired thousands in Rockford, many who read his best-selling book "Three Cups of Tea."

"This book was all about the hunger for education. And even though it's halfway around the world, if we capture that same hunger for education here, it's a fantastic gift for us," said Jim Keeling, Pennies for Peace.

Friday, Keeling gave Mortenson a check for more than $51,000 on behalf of the community. That money will build an Asian school by next Spring.