Leona Maydaniuk (left) and husband Frank empty handfuls of pennies they collected into donation boxes at the Sahali Shoppers Drug Mart store. The pennies will go to the MS Society of Canada on Tuesday at Columbia Place Shoppers Drug Mart. Store owner Mike Huitema and cashier Gina Wakefield say they’ve received a good response from the public so far. With the penny now retired from circulation, Shoppers and many other businesses are redirecting the coins to various charities. Wakefield, a seven-year employee with Shoppers Drug Mart, sparked the idea to encourage customers to donate their pennies to support making a difference in the lives of those affected by multiple sclerosis. Wakefield has a family member with MS, so she chose the MS Society of Canada as her charity of choice. When she took the idea to store owner Huitema, Wakefield said, “he was all over it, saying, ‘It’s the last penny drive, so let’s make it a good one.’” Another local business, The Bone & Biscuit Company, is also collecting pennies for the month of February. All coins collected will be donated to Angels Animal Rescue Society. Local McDonald’s restaurants are collecting pennies for the charitable McHappy Day, while TD Canada Trust branches are sending customer pennies to B.C. Children’s Hospital and the United Way.