BUTLER, Ky. For 30 years, the children and families of Butler Baptist Church have done something extraordinary with something as simple as a penny.

On a recent Sunday morning, the congregation gathered to celebrate a remarkable milestone, completing its 30th Mile of Pennies in support of Sunrise Children’s Services, a ministry that has served vulnerable children and families across Kentucky for more than 150 years.

What began in 1995 as a simple fundraising idea has become a beloved tradition spanning generations.

According to longtime church member Susan Pferrman, Butler Baptist Church first received information about the Kentucky Baptist Children’s Home’s “Mile of Pennies” campaign in 1995. The church embraced the idea and began collecting spare change in decorated soda cans that families would take home and return once they were filled.

The concept was simple yet powerful. Sixteen pennies placed end to end equal one foot. Multiply that by the 5,280 feet in a mile, and one “Mile of Pennies” equals 84,480 pennies, or $844.80.

It took the church two years to complete its first mile.

They never imagined there would be a second.

But after the first mile was celebrated, a small amount of money remained, about a dollar. Rather than ending the campaign, church members decided that the leftover change would become the “starter” for another mile.

Thirty years later, that one dollar has grown into more than $25,344 raised for vulnerable children and families through Sunrise Children’s Services.

Along the way, the tradition evolved. Instead of counting pennies solely through cans brought from home, the church incorporated a monthly Penny March into its worship services. During the singing of hymns, children walk the aisles collecting coins in buckets as the congregation gives joyfully.

Over the years, generations of children have participated. Some of the children pictured during the church’s first Mile of Pennies celebration now have children of their own participating in the tradition.

“To date, we have raised $25,344 for the Kentucky Baptist Children’s Home,” Pferrman shared as she reflected on the church’s journey. “We want to thank everybody that’s been on this trip for 30 years with us and for the ones that will be doing it later.”

The celebration included special recognition from Sunrise Children’s Services. Louis Hatcher, Vice President of Legal and Strategic Affairs for Sunrise, joined the congregation to commemorate the milestone, preach during the worship service, and present the church with a certificate recognizing its extraordinary accomplishment and decades of faithful partnership.

As part of the celebration, Pastor Martin Jones presented a check representing the church’s 30th Mile of Pennies, $844.80, the amount that makes up one full mile of pennies.

Hatcher praised Butler Baptist Church for demonstrating the very heart of biblical faith through its consistent support of children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and abandonment.

“For the past three decades, you have received these little children, the ones that nobody else wants, the ones that nobody else can handle,” Hatcher told the congregation. “You’ve helped the hurting, the abandoned, the abused, the neglected, and the forgotten. I know that God will bless you now and in eternity for the graciousness of your giving.”

Hatcher also shared stories of the ongoing work of Sunrise Children’s Services, including foster care, adoptions, residential treatment programs, sibling homes that keep brothers and sisters together, services for survivors of human trafficking, and independent living programs for young adults transitioning out of foster care.

The congregation was reminded that their pennies have done far more than fill jars and buckets.

Their giving has helped provide healing, hope, and the love of Christ to children across Kentucky.

Reflecting on the significance of the day, Pastor Martin Jones said:

“After Susan Pferrman presented the 31 year history of Butler Baptist Church’s Penny March, and the message of Louis Hatcher, Vice President of Legal and Strategic Affairs at Sunrise Children’s Services, we now have a greater understanding of the significance of our 30th mile, equaling over $25,000, and have a greater awareness of the importance of Sunrise Children’s Services. We are looking forward not just to our 31st Mile of Pennies but to a more significant partnership with Sunrise.”

As Butler Baptist Church begins collecting toward its 31st Mile of Pennies, the congregation is proving a timeless truth. When God’s people faithfully give what they have, even pennies collected one Sunday at a time, those small acts of generosity can change lives for generations.

For 30 years, Butler Baptist Church has shown that every child matters and that even the smallest gift, when offered faithfully, can become a lasting legacy.

Written by Jake Pelfrey, Sunrise Vice President for Marketing and Advancement