Members of Austin’s National Honor Society went panhandling Friday night for a good cause.

While officers of the club had been out in years past this is the third year the group as a whole as been out raising money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity.

This year the NHS pulled in $1873.14, down from previous years yet still considered a success.

“We just want to give a special thank you to our community for their support this year,” said the society’s advisor, Sharon Alms after announcing the total early Saturday morning.

“It’s their favorite project of the year,” Alms said, standing outside of Austin High School Friday night. “They seem to do a good job and they work for it.”

The group certainly puts a lot of festive effort into it, leaning out towards traffic, yelling and waving to passing motorists. It’s a chance not only for the group to be simple high school students having fun, but do something constructive at the same time.

“It’s actually a lot of fun,” Audrey DeVries said, a senior out for her second year. “We raise our voices, have fun and know we’re raising money for a good cause. It’s nice helping services around here where it’s needed.”

The enthusiasm the members showed carried almost everywhere they went.

“We have a lot of money here. $95,” Katie Orcutt proudly proclaimed at one point, handing a handful of bills over.

The club raised $2,300 last year and $2,700. Despite the decline in money raised, the fact they can collect that money by simple pocket change alone impressed on DeVries.

“I’m just surprised that $2 or 50 cents at a time leads to $2,000. It’s crazy.”

Tom Egan who is on the Habitat for Humanity board in Austin notices it as well. Egan was out with the kids, watching them reach out to passing motorists.

“Houses go up with resources supplied by the community,” he said. “They really are putting forth the effort. We’re really thankful for their efforts.”