More donors are needed for the Pennies for Excellence drive to help fund scholarships for Opp High School students.

At Friday’s utility board meeting, former OCS superintendent Allen Miller, who serves on the OCS Foundation, addressed the board to make sure there would still be a partnership between the two boards.

“I wanted to make sure you know about it,” he said.

Miller said they lost some $60,000 to $70,000 a year when Micolas Mill closed, and that many of the signees are elderly “like myself,” and have moved on.

Pennies for Excellence allows utility board customers to round their bills to the next dollar each month, and donate up to $5 more on their bill.

Mayor John Bartholomew said that he’d like to see the scholarships increase for students to help pay for books, etc., since the cost of tuition is constantly rising.

General Manager Stacey Parker said customers have been reminded of the program through a small ad on their monthly bills and billing mailer.

“I want to remind everyone that it is tax-deductible,” Miller said. “They will get a statement from the utility board. We coined it ‘a cup of coffee a month.’ No penny of this money goes anywhere else except to scholarships.”

Anyone who wishes to donate may contact the Opp Utilities Board at 493-4571.