(Photo Courtesy of Linda Seronello) Participants in the Hope To Texas campaign included (l to r) Reagan Mackey, Wesley Tolleson, Emma Bynum, Amie Regester, Grace Brasher, Danny Pickens, Smith County Hope 2010 coordinator, Lawson Barker, Alexandra Koenig, Logan Mimms, Zoe Ward and Hayden Hommel. Brook Hill Lower School’s third grade class, led by Paula Bickerstaff, worked hard to earn pennies for the month of September. Each child gave up some favorite activity or treat for the month. Some gave up the weekly trip to Sonic or a movie rental or their favorite candy. Parents helped estimate the price that would have been spent on the treat and turned that price into pennies. Then the pennies were used to further the Texas Hope 2010 project.

Texas Hope 2010 is a campaign to put a CD with the gospel of John and the way to have a relationship with Jesus into the hands of every Texan in the year 2010. Bickerstaff heard about the plan through her church and decided to ask her class if they would like to participate for one of their yearly mission projects. The CDs will be given to the students to distribute in their neighborhoods and among their friends. Each CD costs one dollar to make.

The class set their goal at 1,000 pennies because they spend some time in September talking about numbers in the thousands. The goal was quickly reached. The final count of money donated was 13,598 pennies which will buy 136 CDs. Bickerstaff offered to match the donation of the kids so the final amount will be 27,196 pennies or $271.96.