LaGRANGE — Students at Long Cane Middle School recently participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients program and raised funds to find cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma research, and for patient services.

The Pennies program is part of the society’s National School and Youth Programs. It has a double benefit, allowing students to develop compassion and learn the value of helping others as they work for a good cause.

Long Cane Middle School’s Pennies program ran for a three-week period, Feb. 9 to 29, and students raised a total $6,748.25. Matthew Graham’s eighth grade homeroom earned a Papa John’s pizza party for raising the most money, $1,700.32.

Jud Newman’s homeroom got in a heated competition this year and raised $1,676.14, helping push the total to the most the school has raised in a single campaign. In third place was Frances Newman’s sixth grade homeroom with $977.38.

“Special thanks go out to Charter Bank of South Davis Road, a business partner of Long Cane Middle School,” said Chip Giles, principal of Long Cane Middle School. “They graciously allowed Michelle Morris, coordinator of the Pennies program at LCMS, to use their ‘spinning penny’ machine free of service charge, making certain that every penny goes to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.”

Anyone seeking more information on the Pennies program at Long Cane Middle School may call Michelle Morris, counselor, at 706-845-2085.

For information on the programs and services available at the Georgia Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, call 1-800-399-7312.