Melvin Sheppard and his parents are welcomed by Cooper representatives and members of the NICU staff at his annual donation.
Melvin Sheppard, 20, of Moorestown, NJ, visited the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper University Health Care to donate the proceeds of his annual penny collection. Melvin started the tradition 12 years ago as a token of thanks for the medical care he received as a premature infant at Cooper. When he was born, he weighed only 2.9 pounds.
“Cooper gave me a great start in life, and they are like family to me,” said Melvin, currently a sophomore at Rowan University, Glassboro. Since 2005, he has collected close to $7,000 in pennies for the NICU, which has used the funding to purchase equipment and supplies for patients and their families. Helping Melvin this year in his efforts were the members of Amvets Post 101, Delair, NJ and Rowan University sorority Zamora Court #135.