HAMPTON -- The Hampton Free Medical Clinic is powered not only by the tireless volunteers who keep it up and running, but also through the generous donations that come in from various sources throughout the community.

One traditional source has been the Marston School Penny Drive, a three-week long effort which sees students, staff and others in the Marston community taking their pennies to school.

Marston's most recent drive brought in a grand total of $678.58, prompting Free Medical Clinic Founder, Dr. Jay Kaminski to say "This is just unbelievable" when he was presented with the check just last week.

Taking part in the presentation with Dr. Kaminski were Fifth Grade Student Leaders Shauna Morrison, Philip Sheehy, Bryan Schwechheimer, and Elisabeth Auffaunt.

Joining them were Marston School phys-ed teachers Nate Dowst and Laurie Sullivan, and fifth grade teacher Jennifer Lansberry; she and her colleague, Jessica Hinchcliffe serve as Student Leader advisors.

According to Lansberry, Fifth Grade Student Leaders promoted the Penny Drive early on, encouraging participation by displaying posters throughout the school. Each homeroom had a penny collection jar, and soon the donations came rolling in.

Speaking of rolling, it was the Student Leaders who took on the task of collecting and diligently counting all those pennies.

"The kids rolled the pennies in the gym," explained Lansberry.

As the counting continued, the dollar amount was displayed on a huge floor-to-ceiling thermometer poster "so the whole school could watch the progress," said Lansberry.

To everyone's delight, that progress went right over the top.

"Our goal was $600," said Lansberry with a smile. "We obviously exceeded it."

"This is huge," agreed Kaminski. "We really need it this year."

One reason for the need is that "medical costs are up considerably," he said, so Marston's contribution to the Hampton Beach Free Medical Clinic "is greatly appreciated."

Have some spare pennies — or dimes or quarters or dollars — without a pocket or a wallet to call home? Count it up and count it as a donation to a worthy cause by sending it to the Hampton Free Medical Clinic, PO Box 625, Hampton, NH 03843.

[The Hampton Beach Free Medical Clinic has no phone number but can be contacted at Hampton Free Medical Clinic, PO Box 625, Hampton, NH 03843. Care is first come, first served at their 37 Ashworth Avenue location at Hampton Beach. They are open Septemer through May on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.]