During the 2015-2016 school year, fourth grade students in Weymouth, MA participated in a penny drive, and collected $1,000 to be donated to a local charity. In order to choose which organization would receive the funds, students were asked to write a persuasive essay naming their organization. Below is the winning essay, titled “Eleven Seconds”, that was submitted to honor the Travis Roy Foundation. In June, Travis paid a personal visit to the Weymouth elementary school to accept the generous donation and explain how the funds will help others with spinal cord injuries.
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It only took eleven seconds to crush a 20 year old hockey star’s dream. Travis Roy was driven into the boards and cracked his fourth vertebrae and was paralyzed from the neck down. This was at his first college hockey game for BU on an October night in 1995. Our pennies from Hamilton School could help if we donate them to this worthy cause. We can make lives better by helping those who are paralyzed.
We picked the Travis Roy Foundation because people with spinal injuries should get more help and support. People’s lives are affected if they are paralyzed. Another reason we picked this foundation is because my dad’s best friend got paralyzed and is still in the hospital. Also we could get Travis Roy or someone that works there to come to speak to our students in Fourth Grade.
The Travis Roy foundation serves people who have spinal cord injuries. The organization gives people wheelchairs and medicine to help them feel better so they can live a good life. This foundation is located in Boston, MA in the Hemenway and Barnes building.
The Travis Roy Foundation is a good organization because they give most of their money to people who are helped by the foundation. Another reason it is a good foundation is because it has been around for about 20 years and it is reputable. My dad’s best friend is in the Travis Roy Foundation and he knows that this organization is a good group.
I hope after reading this you make the right choice on where to donate the pennies. Remember, the Travis Roy Foundation helps hundreds of people who have spinal cord injuries and are paralyzed. If we donate our pennies to the Travis Roy Foundation you will be supporting thousands and thousands of paralyzed people. Thank you for the support.
