Throwing Copper

The University of Arizona will band together in a drive to fight birth defects, as the university's Project Volunteer will coordinate the first "penny wars" to help March of Dimes' Walk America Mar. 27 fundraiser.

"It will get the campus community involved," said Jessica Watson, a political science senior.

Watson, a program coordinator who works with March of Dimes, has requested participation by all campus clubs and organizations, along with members of the UA administration.

Like many other campus charity drives, Arizona State University has challenged the UA in raising money.

The event, taking place from Mar. 22-26, will be a collaboration with the Interfraternity Council and coincides with "greek week." The UA's Greek Life organization will center their spring philanthropy efforts around the March of Dimes' fundraiser.

Members of campus fraternities and sororities have already challenged each other. Individual houses have also begun collecting pennies.

"IFC has gotten word out to the houses," said Carri DeRose, a marketing junior.

Randy Kinker, a psychology junior, said each greek house will select a student to be a god or goddess.

The male and female student whose house collects the most money will be god and goddess at a pageant for greeks at the week's end.

If pennies are burning holes in the pockets of passersby, they are urged to put the coins in five-gallon water bottles, one for each student class and one for faculty and staff.

Students and faculty are invited to donate spare pennies to gain points for their particular class, but students can lose points by adding any silver coins to other jugs.

Watson said she is unsure of the success of the event, adding that they "won't see it until the week of [the event.]"

"I've never seen it done," DeRose said. "We'll see what can be done. It will be better next year."