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Every Penny Counts in Landmine Battle, Marin Independent Journal Roots of peace raises $50,000 for Afghanistan About 150 people participated in an unusual mass yesterday in San Rafael that involved so much pocket change it had to be wheeled inside with wagons. Roots of Peace, the San Rafael-based organization dedicated to eradicating landmines around the world, ended its month-long “Penny Drive” with one last solicitation at St. Raphael’s Church before the equivalent of 5 million pennies – or $50,000 – was donated to a campaign to de-mine Afghanistan. “It’s simply about taking the change from your pockets,” the Rev. Paul Rossi said as collection baskets were passed around. “Change can make change.” Parishioners emptied their pockets of copper, silver and even the green stuff before it was carried to the back of the church, where five children’s wagons – three green, two red -- sat half-full of money. After the last basket was dumped in, the children wearing Santa hats were placed in the wagon beds and pulled to the altar so everyone could see what amounted to a fraction of the total donation. “We’re helping to take these seeds of destruction out of the earth,” said Heidi Kühn, founder and executive director of Roots of Peace. Kühn explained to the parish that the program kicked off September 11 and eventually included more than 500 canisters distributed to 50 schools around the county as well as supermarkets, churches, beauty shops and the like. Kühn said the enormous public response stems from a desire to make a difference in Afghanistan, plus the ease of donating money that wouldn’t be missed. While it felt good to stand in front of her own church and announce the donation, she said the real beauty of the campaign is the sheer number of people who didn’t think twice before emptying their pockets to help people they would never meet in a country they likely will never visit. “This is their victory, too,” she said. “We just played a small part in making it happen.”
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