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community
St. Vincent de Paul in Crystal Falls is running a “penny tree” fundraiser for its food pantry this year. The penny tree idea comes from manager Elaine Griffiths, who said that penny trees are common in the United Kingdom. Griffiths hails from Wales.
CRYSTAL FALLS — There are all sorts of creative fundraisers these days. Head to St. Vincent de Paul in Crystal Falls and see one that comes from across the pond, as it were.
St. Vincent de Paul Crystal Falls manager Elaine Griffiths, originally from Wales, has begun a “penny tree” which is a common fundraising tool in the United Kingdom for various charities. She is using the penny tree to fundraise for the St. Vincent de Paul Guardian Angels food pantry. The fundraiser began on Jan. 8 and is expected to continue throughout 2021.
Griffiths knows the trick of interlocking all the pennies donated by patrons into a pattern that allows the pennies to be stacked higher and higher without falling over. The tree sits on a cross section of wood with a 34-inch wooden pole in the center around which the pennies are stacked.
It looks like a daunting task. It also looks like it would be fun to play Jenga with.
No matter, patrons have become fascinated with it and generous with their donations.
“It’s surprising the amount of interest it’s caused,” Griffiths said. “I just thought it was something for St. Vincent because no one’s ever seen it here before.”
The initial goal was to collect enough pennies to complete the 34-inch tree. After one month, the tree is about 8 inches tall. She said she will build another one if donations are such.
The tree is scheduled to be “felled” in December.
“What we do to cash it in, is four people stand with a sheet and one person (knocks it down),” Griffiths said.
All in all, a creative and fun way to raise funds for an excellent cause.
“I do tell everybody, ‘If you see on TV-6 that there’s a shortage of pennies in Iron County, don’t tell them where they are,’” Griffiths laughed. “We know nothing.”