Woman gives 56 pounds of pennies to aid vets

Staff report

POLAND

After reading an Oct. 9 article in The Vindicator about a Liberty native’s cross-country bicycle ride to raise funds for wounded U.S. servicemen and women, an 84-year-old Poland woman was moved to help.

The woman — who wishes to remain anonymous — read about Devorah Gottesman’s ride for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Gottesman, a singer-songwriter in Washington state, left Los Angeles on Oct. 10 on a 13-week ride to Florida. The article mentioned Pennies for Patriots, a program in which citizens can donate a penny a mile or any amount to help the cause.

The woman donated to Wounded Warrior an antique jar full of pennies that she had been saving for 11 years. She did so in memory of her late father, who was a Navy Seabee, and her late husband, who also was in the Navy.

Gottesman said she was proud to accept the gift, which weighed 56 pounds, adding that she has received similar touching donations, including a gift of pennies from a 3-year-old.

Gottesman will receve the pennies in San Antonio, Texas, where she will perform during a stop Nov. 11.