The Allegheny College Chi chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity hosted Penny Wars which concluded on Nov. 1.

For Penny Wars, students were able to participate themselves in the Penny Wars by donating different types of coins or dollars. Donation areas were set up in Brooks and the campus center.

Last week,  Grounds for Change was the home for the Penny Wars boxes. Penny Wars was shaped in a way for it to be a challenge for class years, as well as faculty and staff.

Each coin was able to have a positive effect on your year or a negative one on another if you chose to do that. Silver coins —   like nickels, dimes and quarters  — were negative points. So if you put a silver coin into a different class year you would take points away from that class. However pennies and dollars were positive points so you would want to put those into your class year.

Philanthropy chair Faythe Schulte, ’23, organized Penny Wars.

The proceeds went to St. James Haven, a temporary shelter for men in Meadville located on North Main St. They house up to 14 men per night, and during the day the men work at the Crawford County Mental Health Awareness Program.

At the end of the day the men can return back to St James Haven to get their sleep.

“It is a safe place for the men to live, until they get back up on their feet.” Schulte explained.

The men that stay at St. James place do not necessarily need to work for CHAPS — they are able to go out and get their own job if they can. The men have the opportunity to find a job and not have to worry about where they are going to sleep every night, thanks to St. James Haven.

As an added bonus to all their good deeds so far, APO is going to exchange their change for bills.

“In the end we are actually going to do a change swap with Grounds for Change, because there is a national change shortage,” Schulte said.

Preston Turk, ’24, was very excited about the way the charity was trying to get people to donate.

“I thought it was a fun way for people to donate,” Turk said. “When I first saw it I just threw a bunch of nickels and dimes into one of the boxes. I am honestly not really sure which one. But the next day I went and put a couple dollars in the sophomore class.”

Ian Craycroft, ’23, was happy that APO was doing something to help the local community more.

“I feel like most charities usually go to the bigger foundations,” Craycroft said. “Don’t get me wrong, I am all for that but sometimes I think it is better for people to donate to smaller charities that may need more help. I donated the coins that I had lying around plus a couple dollars so hopefully that can help.”

Ian Eggert, ’23, made sure some of his Theta Chi friends donated.

“I talked to some of my brothers last week and told them to give whatever change they had to St. James Haven,” Eggert said.

Before the final day of Penny Wars some of the Alpha Phi Omegas did a dorm storm where they went to a residence hall  and knocked on some doors to get some final donations.

“Through Penny Wars, we raised a total of $354.38 for St. James Haven,” Schulte said.

The winner of Penny Wars was the junior class who raised a total of $142.61 and had a total of 5,371 points.  In second place the senior class had a total of 1,938 points. In third place was the first-year class with a total of 565 points. And finally in last place was the sophomore class with -1,108 points.

“I am really proud of the community coming together because the boxes are pretty full,” Schulte said.