The Groton Dunstable Penny Project

The Groton Dunstable Penny Project A project created by 8th graders to understand the numbers murdered during the Holocaust.

In January 2006, Groton-Dunstable eighth grade students began studying the horrors of the Holocaust as part of their school curriculum. Understanding lessons of tolerance and the value of diversity struck a chord for these students in the “whitest” school district in the state of Massachusetts. In order to truly comprehend the numbers of 11 million lives lost at the hands of the Nazis—six million

Jews, 1.5 million of them children—students in Niki Rockwell’s homeroom began collecting one million pennies to help them understand how much a million really is. Two and one-half years of hard work collecting pennies and donations for a container to hold them culminated in a ceremony to dedicate the memorial in May of 2008. The memorial consisted of a clear acrylic case that was five-feet long by six-feet tall by two-feet deep, filled with 1.5 million pennies. In November of 2009, the seams of the container began to separate because of the pressure of the pennies, estimated to weigh more than 4.7 tons. The original container was never engineered to withstand this substantial weight

The hurdle the reconvened committee is facing today is that the new vessel will cost $10,000, a hefty amount to raise, especially in the current economy. The Penny Project Memorial committee is planning a series of fundraisers to support the project.

04/09/2022

For those of you who came and we taped a special conversation with George Schaffer, this is sad news. (Can someone help us get the interview on to this site? We have the dvd.)

Today we said goodbye to an extraordinary man who attained the age of 94 years with grace, courage, wisdom, charm, loyalty, humor and love. I am omitting alot of other attributes he had, but I hope these will suffice to tell you who he was. Even at 94, it was still too soon for him to leave us.

George Schaffer was all that one would want a friend and teacher to be. He survived the horrors of Austria in the face of the N***s, by being put on a train, by himself, and traveling to England. George was part of the historic Kindertransport. (If you don't know what that was, you should look it up and learn about it.)

George was fortunate to be reunited with his parents and brother and, after a few years, finally able to come to the US. That's where he became the man we all knew and loved. George and his dear, wonderful wife Carolee, found our Congregation Beth Elohim community in the mid-late nineties and things changed for us all. CBE was where George refound his Jewish life.

George was Choir, Brotherhood, Adult Education, Adult Bar Mitzvah, Chesed, and Anti-Semitism Educator. To hear George sing was to be transported to a time and place we wished we could stay for a little while. At his memorial service today, we were privileged to hear a recording of George singing about his beloved Vienna, at his 90th birthday celebration. We were all thrilled and saddened to hear this beautiful song, sung by this beautiful man, most likely for the last time.

I always say that George was the mayor of all the places he inhabited. Certainly CBE, on trips he and Carolee would take, and later at Camellia Gardens. Picture Norm walking in at Cheers. That was George walking into whatever gathering there was. It always warmed the heart to hear the greeting, "George!"

Rest in wonderful peace, my sweet friend. You will be missed, but you will always be with us. זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה
zekher tzaddik v'kadosh livrakha. May the memory of the righteous and holy be a blessing

08/01/2017

It's been 5 years since I retired from the Groton-Dunstable Regional Middle School. I am happy to say that the tank that holds the 1.5 million pennies has held and continues to serve as a reminder of what can happen when Fascism reigns. If you are ever in the area, please stop by. The tank is in the hallway of the Middle School South which can be seen even if the building is locked. Peer through the glass.

05/15/2013

It's been a long time since I have sent out an update. To catch those of you up who aren't aware: the new container was delivered and filled last April. This was a true celebration as the second incarnation brought new blood to the project adults and students alike.

There was enough money left over to train a teacher at a Facing History in Ourselves summer institute. The teacher who replaced me, Nicole Weaver will be attending this summer.

Jayme Kulesz and Amy Degen are working on a revised version of our fundraising letter to have as a leaflet available beside the tank for audiences curious about the tank's history.

There has been an issue of the tank being used to post leaflets and signs before/during community and school events. We would like to get stanchions and red velvet cords to surround the tank and build awareness that this is a memorial to the lives of 1.5 million children. Often events are when outsiders can view the exhibit.

There are so many people who have been involved in the making of this project into a reality - too many to thank publicly here. I hope each of you who has taken a part big or small can look back over the years with pride at what exists because of your commitment and the fulfilling of a dream.

With much love, Niki

03/10/2012

New tank in place and filled. Gosh it looks even better than the last one. Thank you everyone of you that has been a part of this dream to have a permanent memorial in the whitest school district in Massachusetts.

03/03/2012

SAturday March 10 from 9 - 5 the tank filling begins. Please get in touch if you can help.

01/24/2012

Any day now our new tank will arrive at the school! The work of refilling it will need every able bodied being! Please contact us if you'd be available to help.

We still need to reach our $15000 final goal to pay for our new container. Please select 'more' under the About topic o...
09/08/2011

We still need to reach our $15000 final goal to pay for our new container. Please select 'more' under the About topic on the left side of our Facebook site and use the DONATE button at http://penny-project.org/index.html

05/13/2011

Attend the dramatic reading of the Diary of Anne Frank June 4th at 4 pm at 344 Main Street Groton, MA. The 8th graders are trying to raise money for the new tank.

Address

344 Main Street, # 346
Groton, MA
01450

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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