Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 6, 1993 TAG: 9304060280
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ed Shamy
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
GUILT ZONE'S NEW GAME: RING TOSS
Getting into the store can be, during charity season, a run through the gantlet. It's the guilt zone, there on the pavement outside the strip mall.If it's not the Salvation Army mournfully tinkling a bell at kettleside, it's Brownies peddling leftover cookies. If it's not one group at a folding table selling raffle chances, it's another offering home-baked coffee cakes.
The guilt zone. You have some jingle in your pocket and they know it and they want you to part with it for a good cause.
Every trip to the shopping plaza becomes a struggle of conscience.
During the past weekend, Knights of Columbus members staked out the guilt zone at some busy shopping spots.
"We give away penny candy and hold out sawed-off milk cartons," said Steven Talevi, a Knights of Columbus member.
The sweets frequently take the high ground in the battle of conscience and shoppers dig into their pockets and purses for a donation.
Knights of Columbus chapters throughout Virginia pool the money and redistribute it in the form of grants and no-interest loans to help mentally retarded people.
It is Talevi's task to gather the money collected in the Roanoke Valley, and to sort it.
"Not infrequently," he said, "I come across foreign coins, metal washers, bobby pins. I always assume it's a mistake - someone reached into some pocket, not knowing it was there. This time, I got a token to use the men's room."
He also came across a man's ring, apparently collected Saturday in one of those milk cartons.
The ring came from a bag of coins collected in Salem.
If you tossed a man's ring into a sawed-off milk carton in the guilt zone outside a store in Salem on Saturday, you'll want to call Don Feick, a Knights of Columbus member, at 342-1821. Feick will ask you to describe the ring, and where you lost it, but beyond that there will be no questions asked.
Any man careless or thoughtless or cruel enough to plunk his wedding ring down in a charity's tray may be in for rough sledding. The Knights are not interested in making the problem any worse.
The Knights are not quite sure what to make of the charity.
"I thought some poor guy was throwing money in and he accidentally pulled his wedding ring from his pocket, too," said Talevi.
This could be true. You were doing some handyman chore at home on Saturday and you tucked your ring into your pocket so your finger wouldn't get ripped off when it brushed the variable-speed drill. You ran to buy some half-inch sheet-metal screws, got caught in the guilt zone, and unwittingly dredged up your ring with your spare change.
Or you wittingly slipped off your ring en route to hardware to conceal your marital status.
Or you and your wife were feuding over the next big purchase - the new fishing reel or the frilly bathroom curtains - and you spitefully donated your ring to charity.
No questions will be asked. The Knights of Columbus have your ring. Call if you want it back; call if you don't.