Its amazing how much money we through away in returnable cans here in Michigan. Michigan requires that our major soft drinks to collect a deposit of $0.10 on beer and pop cans. People more often than not don't want to be bother with the mess of returning cans to stores or are just to lazy to return them. Thus they are returnable cans litterly our roads, and there lays the opportunity for me to exercise and support a charity.
I recently ran to someone was in need of a little help. I was in the parking lot of a well known cell phone business, and observer a young lady who was uncontrollably crying as she return to her car. It was obvious that she needed someone to talk to as she was in no shape to be driving her car. While talking to her I discovered she divorced, barely making a living to support her (2) children, and was driving a car that could barely make it out of the parking lot. The car was unsafe to transport her and her two kids nearly anywhere. She was in need of good transportation just so she could back and forth to work. She is what I call “The working poor”.
To make a short story of it, I got her information and turned into a local charity to help her with her dilemma. Going to charities is typically the right thing to do as they can properly screen and support her for her needs. It worked out that the charity had no monies to help her with her auto problems. Having been in like circumstances many years ago, a relative help me fixed my automobile and never ask a dime for his services. This random act of kindness was never forgotten, so I didn’t hesitate to talk to my wife about making a donation and help the gal out.
I give to my church, and support my children’s activities on regular basis. I had often complained to my wife about the amount of returnable cans we see on the rural roads near out home. I need exercise as well. I often complain that I don’t get out enough to exercise as I am on the road with my job traveling at least (3) days a week. So I have begun each Saturday walking for charity.
I walk the local rural roads getting the exercise I need, and picking up returnable $0.10 cans, and donating the proceeds to Lighthouse, Inc. In addition, I taking the cans at home, and my weekly lose change and donating it. I am averaging $7.00 a week.
It does sound much, but $7.00 a week time 50 weeks (taking off some time for fishing) is $350 dollars a year. I am averaging at least 2 miles every time I go out on one of these hikes.
The sad part of this is that I am averaging 10 cans or $1.00 each walk. This means that in 1 mile or every 5,280 feet I find 5 cans or just a little over 1 can for every 1, 056 feet. We are literally throwing money away.
Now if we could find money in the 2 plastic bottles I find at the same time (and I digress – that’s another topic).
It still not much, but it is what I can do help a charity, and improve my fitness.
Thanks for listening!
