Pennies Are Worth Thousands For St. Anthony’s

When I first came to work in Development at St. Anthony Foundation, we were in the middle of planning the Annual Penny Pitch and Auction in North Beach.

It caused me a brief panic. I didn’t know how to run a penny pitch. I’d been in my last job a long time. Were my skills out of date? Was I missing an important qualification? It took me several days to realize that very few people do know how to run a penny pitch. Few people actually know what a penny pitch is.

Special equipment needed: 3 pennies. Clothing: comfortable and roomy — especially the pitching arm sleeve. Players stand about 10 feet from a back board and try to throw pennies at the board without actually hitting it. There are rules about pennies that land standing up and about pennies that land on each other.

How does this raise money for St. Anthony’s? Teams pay fees to register. Players and attendees bid on auction items. Community businesses send greetings in the Penny Pitch program booklet. A lot of good people donate their time.  And all the proceeds go to St. Anthony Foundation.

2009 PENNY PITCH

Memorial Day, Monday, May 25
1:00 – 5:00 (Lunch opens at 11:30.)
Washington Square Bar & Grill
1707 Powell Street @ Union