THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 16, 1995 TAG: 9508150094
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close-Up
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
If you're among the 70 percent of Beach residents who have one of those big blue plastic recycling containers to put out by your curb on trash day, here's the man who helped put it there.
Marc Thornton is the recycling program manager at Southeastern Public Service Authority. Recycling, he says, is an easy habit to get into and one he acquired long before he went to work for SPSA. ``My mother was a recycler. Still is,'' says the Lamplight Manor resident. He's been doing it for a long time even thought his own neighborhood didn't enter the curbside collection program until about a month ago.
``I tell people they can't afford not to recycle,'' he says. ``It costs the city less to have a ton picked up and recycled than it costs to have a ton picked up and disposed of.''
And that 70 percent figure he mentioned? ``It will be changing shortly because we keep adding areas.''
Full name: Marc Thomas Thornton.
Hometown: Norfolk (Yep, I'm a home boy).
What brought you to the Beach? The water was better than Chesapeake's.
Birthdate: March 12, 1962 (during the Camelot era that many readers are too young to remember).
Occupation: Recycling program manager, Southeastern Public Service Authority.
Nickname: MTT or Mr. T. Some people call me Marcus, which is too sophisticated for me.
Marital status: Happily married to Valerie for almost seven years.
Children: Daughter, Carrie, 3. She's a human whirlwind, but she keeps me young.
What is your idea of a perfect day off? Sleeping until 8 a.m. then going with my family on a road trip or to a theme park.
Last smart thing you did: Decided to join Calvary Revival Church. It's making a big difference in my life.
Last dumb thing you did: Washed my daughter's church dress with her name tag still on it.
Favorite meal: Pork spareribs baked in mustard and vinegar with greens, sweet potatoes and dinners rolls - a real soul food meal.
Favorite movies: ``Distinguished Gentleman,'' ``Back to the Future II,'' ``Back to the Future I,'' ``Lion King.''
Favorite song: I like oldies - ``Just the Two of Us,'' ``Shotgun'' and ``When Will I See You Again?''
Last book read: ``Garfield's Scary Joke Book.'' The last serious book was ``The Second Twelve Months.''
Hobbies: Reading, watching sports, physical fitness, watching videos, playing with my daughter, visiting zoos, collecting old records and more.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I'm too shy with people I don't know. I'd like to lighten up a little bit.
If you could change one thing about your spouse, what would it be? I plead the fifth. Actually she's pretty cool as she is.
Secret vice: Chocolate covered doughnuts.
Favorite restaurant: Capt. George's, but I can't afford to go very often.
Your favorite night on the town: Dinner and a movie or a comedy show with my wife.
Favorite TV shows: NFL and NBA playoffs, championship boxing, nature documentaries and ``Melrose Place.''
Favorite sport: Boxing, but my favorite to play is volleyball.
Last vacation: Two-day stay in the Outer Banks.
Pets: Two unnamed goldfish.
Worst job: My first one - selling tickets to a concert over the phone. Not the most popular way to sell concert tickets.
Of what achievements are you most proud? Marrying my wife, being a good father and contributing enough to the community to get on this page!
What would you like as your epitaph? He did it his way, but within the rules, and a lot of people benefited from it. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
by CNB