The Penny Project Is Unbelievable!

My Dallas EF Class...believers (and even a few contributors) in the Penny Project! Thanks Grant, Carol, Lester, Kim & Jackie for adding with your finds & donations!

Literally, I told a group of my students about The Penny Project last week and one of them didn't believe me! I was using the story in the context of how things build over time (in this case, their facilitation skills). I said I started facilitating about a month before I started The Penny Project. Then one day I looked up and realized...a) I'd become a pretty good facilitator and b) There was over $500 in the penny account. When did these two things happen?! It was a perfect way of explaining how with practice, their skills would conitue to grow over time...so I can see how it might sound made up!

The way I convinced the students this wasn't a made up story was two fold. First, I showed them the spread sheet (seriously...hard not to believe me when I pull up 2+ years of financial data in 7-cent increments!). Second, I showed them a few of my text messages. I thought it was funny that I had saved a few. Little did I know I had stored 26 penny-related text messages in my phone!

I have shared a few on the blog...but the collection in it's entirety is quite amusing. So, I'm sharing them with all of you and hope they make you smile like they did me!

Penny Texts:
1) "Odeto TrackCHange:I'mstanringatchangeonthe tracks. Dimes.Pennies.Ithinka quarter.IfonlyIcouldreachthem. Justalittlefarther. Stretcharmstretch! Oh shit.The train...:-)" by Chele B. on March 10, 2008
2) "I just said, out loud...oh, I need to count pennies...I thought you would be proud!" by Amy D. on March 15, 2008
3) "2 pennies on the way to work--heads side up!" by Steph G. on April 29, 2008
4) "My parents are visitng and my dad found two pennies and a dime for you" by Heather R. on May 2, 2008
5) "Now mom found a penny for you. It's a family affair. We're on a roll!" by Heather R. on May 3, 2009
6) "3 pennies today. 2 with my boss. He asked why I was picking up pennies. ;-)" by April C. on July 14, 2008
7) "He thought I was crazy until I explained what you were doing." by April C. on July 14, 2008
8) "He asked if the charity was how to not get hit by a car when picking up pennies in the middle of the street." by April C. on July 14, 2008
9) "We were crossing the street at the time, but we had the crossing sign." by April C. on July 14, 2008
10) "You got a convert..." by April C. on July 14, 2008
11) "Dime at the metro. I need a tetnus shot, but I picked it up." by April C. on July 23, 2008
12) "Got ur penny pic ;>)...found 30 cents today...asst scoutmaster found two pennies too...now u've got the boy scouts on ur side...:-)" by Chele B. on September 27, 2008
13) "Eoin found a penny" by Dan J. on November 6, 2008
14) "Deghlan found a penny at Starbucks...ironic since their stock is worth about that!!" by Dan J. on November 22, 2008
15) "11 cents" by April C. on November 25, 2008
16) "2 pennies this morning and one the other day. I am on a roll, that is why there is butter on my pants. Ha-ha!" by April C. on December 18, 2008
17) Fox news profiling family that picks up change and blogs about it!!! Last name was Humphrey. Talkn bout xtreme penny retrieval including leapn out of a car on bridge" by Chele B. on January 25, 2009
18) "Penny for ya" by April C. on May 13, 2009
19) "Penny. Dime. Nickel. Don't mess!" by Sarah S. on May 26, 2009
20) "Just found $6 in NYC :)" by Illeny M. on June 6, 2009
21) "Add another .13 to that. All within 30 mins :)" by Illeny M. on June 7, 2009
22) "Quarter, nickel. Bring it silver!" by Sarah S. on June 8, 2009
23) "So nasty you can barely tell it is a penny. Must remember to wash my hand. Thinking of you sweets." by April C. on June 8, 2009
24) "Today's find: 3 quarters, 2 dimes, 3 pennies :)" by Illeny M. on June 10, 2009
25) "Penny, penny...dime!" by Sarah S. on June 11, 2009
26) "John-dime!" by Sarah S. on June 15, 2009

There's been dozens more...but my phone memory is only so big! Thanks to my main contributors...you guys really make me laugh! And if you didn't make this listing...keep the texts coming! They're hilarious and will probably make an appearance on an upcoming blog!