"Lost" pennies add up bid at Aase Haugen Home

The "Lost Penny Day" fundraiser was created to show that pennies, when gathered from lots of people, can have a significant impact to the community.

Aase Haugen residents began their "lost Penny Day" in 2012, raising $92, which was split between the Food Pantry at First Lutheran, Red Cross, Decorah Girl Scouts and the newly opened VA Clinic.

This year's "Lost Penny Day" at Aase Haugen has more than doubled last year's resut, raising $225.  The Aase Haugen Homes neighborhoods now will decide which organizations or projects will be the recipients of the money.

$40.10 of the money raised came from one donor who dropped off a whole coffee can of old wheat pennies and coins.  The coffee can held 1,406 wheat pennies, 9 steel dimes from WWII era, 5 buffalo nickels and 1 Indian head cent.