THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 16, 1996 TAG: 9608160543
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 60 lines
Lo Lumsden and Bobbe Pickford jokingly say they like to solve the world's problems during their early morning, six-mile jogs twice a week.
Since last Christmas, though, the two women have embarked on a practical way to exercise both their bodies and their responsibility to help less fortunate folks.
They're hoping others will take up the challenge.
Their plan is simple. While they're running, they look for lost change lying on the ground. When they get home, they empty their pockets into a jar. When there's enough there to help someone, they donate it to charity.
Lumsden, a never-married nurse practitioner, and Pickford, a divorced mother of two who manages a jewelry shop, have been saving that found money for years. At first the two women, who rarely get together outside of their exercise time, would use the proceeds for pizza or some other treat.
Last Christmas, that changed.
``I was listening to a Christian radio station on my way to work one day,'' Pickford said, ``and they announced that Mothers Inc. needed money for basketballs and teddy bears.''
She suggested to Lumsden that they empty their jar and donate the contents. Lumsden quickly agreed.
By that time, they had a three-year total of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters totaling $125.
They turned the money over to Mothers Inc., an Oceanfront organization that helps needy mothers and children. Then they started over.
Now they're challenging everybody who walks, runs or bikes to pick up any money they spot, then give it to a charity of their choice.
``You might say we're throwing down the running shoe,'' Pickford said, ``you know, like a gauntlet.''
Given their own experience, Lumsden and Pickford figure that the money will make a small but meaningful dent in community needs.
When it comes to finding and retrieving money in the streets, the two share the workload.
``She's the finder, she's got the eyes of an eagle,'' Lumsden said of Pickford. ``She can spot a penny three traffic lanes away. Then I block traffic while she picks it up.''
When loot is found, it's Pickford who gets to carry it.
``She puts it in her bra,'' Lumsden said, ``after 20 cents she really jingles.''
One-liners aside, the two take their exercise, friendship and community commitment seriously. They start each session with a prayer and frequently discuss serious issues as they run.
Even that, however, is a subject for their humor.
``We solve all the world's problems while we're running and can't figure out why no one listens to us,'' Pickford said.
Then she adds thoughtfully, ``I just hope that other runners pick up on our idea of donating found money to charity.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
MORT FRYMAN
The Virginian-Pilot
Lo Lumsden, left, and Bobbe Pickford do their runners' stretches by
picking up change along their treks. by CNB