DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — Students, teachers, and their families from Happy Hollow daycare hosted a friendly competition to help rebuild the Dauphin-Middle Paxton Historical Society’s building.

It burnt down on October 17, 2021, after the celebration of its 250th anniversary. Artifacts, dating back hundreds of years were lost overnight.

Happy Hollow got to work to help their community. The childcare center held a penny war fundraiser where each class competed to see which room earned the most points.

“The kids they brought in their pennies, they brought in their quarters they had their little jars out in the hallway where they would add to their rooms, sabotage the other rooms,” teacher Brooke Judd said.

The winning classroom received a pizza party and each student in the class got to throw a pie in the director’s face. But under all the whip cream, the cause was easy to be seen.

“It meant a great deal and it was a lot of fun to see my families come together in this great competition for a great cause helping the historical society,” Happy Hollow owner and director Barb Beleski said.

“You wouldn’t think of a daycare being able to raise all this money!” Museum Director Kathy Fisher said. “We lost everything in the fire on October 17 and it is not something we can rebuild on our own it’s going to take the whole community to help us.”

The childcare center was able to present a check to Fisher for $1,300 Tuesday morning. And what will all that money do?

“A building of some sort, that is what we really need right now,” Fisher said.

Fisher said she doesn’t know exactly when or where the historical society, and all the pieces of history it’s gathered over the years, will find a new home. But she says having a new generation help out like this, makes it all the more special.