The 2019 Billy Choy ’06 AIDS Penny Drive took place between Aug. 26 and Sept. 6.

As always, the students at Riordan made the Penny Drive a success.

The AIDS Penny Drive is conducted in honor of Riordan alumnus, Billy Choy ’06, who was born with AIDS and died Sept. 26, 2015.

The four houses competed against one another to raise funds for the drive. Joshua Keeney, moderator of the AIDS Penny Drive, said, “The house system enables us to engage in healthy competition aimed at bettering ourselves and our community at large.”

He added, “Although intentions for donating money for some may aim at beating another house, the act of giving alms or giving from one’s own means is a holy habit that we try to encourage. Hopefully, intentions can become nobler as people mature and see the meaningful impact of their donations.”

Cana raised the most money, at $1,682.39. The House of Bolts came in second with $1,254.74 Pilar landed in third with $673.57. Russi came in last, raising $572.70.

During the drive, students were able to deduct points from a house by emptying out their pockets of loose change and putting them into their house rival’s jar. The House of Bolts was targeted with the most, at $371.74. Cana followed with $261.39, and Pilar and Russi had $231.57 and 256.70 respectively.

Keeney said, “We raised a total of $4,183.40. We are still very happy with the amount we collected.”

The money is donated to Gift of Love, which is run by the Missionaries of Charity in Pacifica. Gift of Love is a hospice facility for patients who suffer from severe to life-threatening cases of AIDS.

One of Billy Choy’s statements was, “If hatred could burn the world down, then imagine what love could do.”

There was both love and competition, this year in the Penny Drive.