THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 22, 1994 TAG: 9411220613
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B8 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Joy Fund
SOURCE: BY JUNE ARNEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
There's a little more jingle in Jack Kerpelman's step this time of year.
It comes from the quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies the 85-year-old retired clothier collects in Joy Fund donations. Sometimes $1 and $5 bills are mixed in with the change.
Kerpelman's role is recruiting businesses to let him put the green Joy Fund donation boxes on their counters. Then he makes regular collections. In all, the gifts have changed the course of dozens of Christmases.
For each of the past seven years, Kerpelman's efforts have brought in about $1,000 to the Joy Fund.
``I do it for the kids,'' he says with a smile. ``I got to do something for the kids. I love children.''
Kerpelman operated Kay's Discount Store at the corner of Chestnut and King Streets in Portsmouth for 24 years. He sold clothing and shoes.
As soon as he read about the Joy Fund in The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Kerpelman was on the telephone, signing up to participate.
Children came to him with their coupons for gifts - 100 to 150 each year. Kerpelman responded with the merchandise and a dose of his signature pranks and merriment.
``That's why I'm doing this work now,'' he said. ``I know what the kids look like when they come in with those coupons.
``The kids used to come in with torn sneakers, no socks, no sweaters - and it was freezing cold. I fitted them up with even more than the coupon called for. I could afford to do it.''
Kerpelman, always ready with a stick of gum, a piece of candy and a joke, freely admits the secret of his success.
``Suckers,'' he says. ``The kids would always say they wanted to come to my store, not go someplace else.''
Candy continues to help win Kerpelman friends.
On a recent visit to the newspaper to drop off sacks of money, Kerpelman noted that the back seat of his car is stocked with candy.
``In my neighborhood, I give out candy,'' he said.
``They come running when they see the car. They call me `The Candy Man.' ''
Kerpelman knows that the Joy Fund and his small part make a difference in the Christmases of many children.
He remembers the faces of children who visited his clothing store.
``They would not have anything without it,'' he said. ``They didn't know who Santa Claus was. You should see how ragged they were.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIMMY WALKER/
Jack Kerpelman shows off some of the change collected at businesses
that he recruited to display Joy Fund boxes.
by CNB