Page 1 Get ready for Penny Wars! Who? You and your EPIC class What? Penny Wars is an annual week-long fundraiser here at GMS that raises money for the American Cancer Society. Where? In all EPIC classrooms When? Monday, March 3 through Friday, March 7 Why? To help raise money for the fight against cancer

Page 2 More about the Why? The American Cancer Society has an annual overnight event called Relay for Life. This year, it will be held at the Vero Beach High School Citrus Bowl on Friday night, May 2 through Saturday morning, May 3. Schools, businesses, and families create Relay Teams that work to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Each team sets up and decorates a campsite around the track. Team members take turns walking around the track for the duration of the event. The public comes out to walk the track and to spend money on the fundraisers at each campsite.

Page 3 More about the Why? This year’s GMS Relay for Life Team members are Mrs. Connery, Mrs. Decker, Mrs. Fevola, Mrs. Hand, Ms. Houseknecht, Mrs. Ridlen, Mrs. Turner, and Ms. Vaughn. Cancer survivors and those who have lost their lives to cancer are honored and remembered during the Luminaria Ceremony. During this ceremony, everyone in the stadium is silent and the only light comes from the candles that are placed inside the luminaria bags. Click on the picture to watch a three minute video that explains the Relay for Life story.

Page 4 More about the Why? Have you personally been affected by cancer? Many students and staff members at GMS have relatives and friends who are battling cancer right now. Many others have already lost a friend or loved one to cancer. This is exactly why GMS has a Relay for Life Team. We all need to come together as a community to help the ACS in the fight against cancer. Before getting back to the Penny Wars fundraiser, click on the picture to listen to a song by American Idol finalist (season 10) Tim Halperin. This inspiring song was penned in partnership with the American Cancer Society to motivate the continued mission to end cancer. The video was created by the student body and administration at TCU.

Page 5 Penny Wars – How it Works Each EPIC class will have a collection container. The students will put positive money (pennies, gold coins, and paper) in their EPIC class container to add to their class total. The students will put silver coins in other EPIC class containers to count negatively toward that class’s total. Silver should be dropped in other class containers only during class exchanges not during the middle of class. FINAL DAY DONATIONS: Any money deposited in any container on Friday (the last day) will count as negative.

Page 6 Penny Wars – The Rules Classes that break the rules will be disqualified from Penny Wars. The money in your class container needs to be counted and turned in each day. This is a daily competition, so it is unfair to hold back money. NEW THIS YEAR: Each EPIC class will be required to count the money in its own container. (Responsible students are allowed and encouraged to volunteer to do the counting.) Collection slips will be provided to write the total amount of positive money (pennies, gold coins, and all paper) and the total amount of negative money (all silver). Send your counted money and the totals to the designated Relay Team member listed on your collection slips.

Page 7 Penny Wars – The Rules Do not refuse silver coins from other classes. If silver is placed in your class container, it cannot be taken out. Gold dollar coins, bills, and checks will be counted as positive/pennies. (Checks can be made payable to American Cancer Society.) FINAL DAY DONATIONS: Any money deposited in any container on Friday (the last day) will count as negative. Remember that this is a charity event, so please follow the rules. All the money is donated to the American Cancer Society.

Page 8 Penny Wars – The Rewards The EPIC class with the highest total in the positive money column each day will win a candy voucher to be redeemed after school at the Relay for Life candy sales table. The EPIC class with the highest grand total of money at the end of Penny Wars will win a candy voucher and the privilege of attending the next GMS Success Celebration an additional time. GMS will help the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer!

Page 9 Penny Wars – The Challenge Over the last ten years, GMS has raised over $22,000 just from participating in the week-long Penny Wars fundraiser. The most money raised during Penny Wars was back in That year’s total was $4,875. Here’s the challenge: Can GMS raise more than that in 2014?

Page 10 Penny Wars – Thank You Thank you for the donations you will make during Penny Wars. Thank you for accepting the fundraising challenge and for doing what you can to help us succeed in that challenge. Thank you for making a positive difference in the fight against cancer!