THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 13, 1995 TAG: 9504110143
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CAROLYN BULLOCK HIGH SCHOOL, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
The first thing I noticed about Lora Pollard was the key chain she clutched tightly in her hand. The silver ring held only one key . . . and about a million soda can tabs.
Lora is just one of many teenagers who collect weird stuff - anything from pigs to pull tabs.
Lora, 15, a freshman at Granby High, said her collection started with a desire to recycle cans and just grew from there - more like, exploded from there. Her collection now includes around 800 shiny metal rings. She wants to save enough tabs to recycle them to get enough money to buy a Jeep.
``If it takes me forever, I will not stop until I get my Jeep,'' she said.
Another interesting collection belongs to Mindy Fulton, 15, a sophomore at Booker T. Washington High who collects newspaper and magazine articles on country singers. The most dominant feature of Mindy's bedroom is a huge cutout of Neil McCoy. On her night stand is a pink folder stuffed with articles about her favorite country stars.
Mindy started collecting one day, inspired by an article about Garth Brooks. Mindy plans to preserve her articles in a scrapbook so that in 20 years she can enjoy the memories of her favorite singers.
The sound of sophomore Amber Davis precedes her presence. When she strolls down the halls of Booker T. Washington High School, it is to the cadence and the click-clack of the key chains swinging on her book bag. Amber has more than 100 key chains and has them scattered throughout her bedroom, too.
Her favorite and most expensive is her Garfield key chain.
``If I ever lost it I would be very upset because it cost me $4,'' Amber said, adding that when she has kids they will get her key chains, ``but not my Garfield.''
All three girls are committed collectors.
I should know because I am a committed collector myself. The first thing visitors notice when they walk into my bedroom is a ceramic piggy bank the size of a basketball.
I guess I got started at a craft fair where I saw a cute pig ornament, bought it and just became obsessed. My ``pig shelf'' has about 50 pigs on it. My bed is covered with stuffed pigs. I have a pig calendar, too.
Somebody is always asking me, ``What are you going to do with the pigs when you get married?''
It's simple, I reply. ``My pigs will come with me.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Photo] Carolyn Bullock is a sophomore at Booker T. Washington
High School.
by CNB