DATE: Friday, May 2, 1997                   TAG: 9704300161

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   96 lines

TOWN TALK

April 8 could have been a very bad day for Lisa Gilbert. One careless moment almost cost her $1,000 when she left her wallet on top of her car and drove off down Military Highway.

It could have been a bad day, but luckily Major Sylvain R. Lescoutre of the Canadian Air Force was in town on temporary duty.

He found her wallet and returned it, saving the day. Problem was, in all the excitement, Gilbert forgot Lescoutre's name.

All she had was his building and room number at the Norfolk Naval Base - and his temporary duty ended the next morning. It was impossible to reach him.

But Lescoutre saw the article in The Virginian-Pilot, and when he got back home to Canada, he e-mailed the Pilot and let his identity be known.

``Wish all the best to Lisa Gilbert,'' Major Lescoutre said. ``But please tell her not to lose her wallet again. Cheers!''

- Nancy Young No Ralph in Timberwood

Timberwood Estates lost its most famous resident last week.

His neighbors knew long before the rest of us that Ralph E. Reed Jr., the 35-year-old executive director of the Chesapeake-based Christian Coalition, would be resigning his post. He plans to start a political consulting company in Atlanta or Washington.

Meanwhile, his expansive red-brick house off Ballahack Road in southern Chesapeake is already on the market with Long & Foster. It's perfect for anyone who likes his privacy - and doesn't mind paying for it. The Reeds had no immediate neighbors, with empty lots on all sides. The secluded neighborhood - surrounded by farms - is far more upscale than its rural neighbors.

Houses in Timberwood Estates sit on three acres of land, according to the developer's billboards. Most lots are still covered with woods. Only a handful of homes in the new subdivision are inhabited.

Neighbors say they will miss Reed, his wife Jo Anne and their three children, who often attended neighborhood socials.

Vivian Smith of Savannah Drive said she last saw the Reeds a month ago. She was never star struck by his celebrity status, though.

``I never paid any attention to him,'' Smith said. ``He's just another person to me. His wife is a really nice person and I'm closer to her. I'll be sorry to see her go. We used to see them at neighborhood gathers, the kind where you bring a covered dish.''

- Liz Szabo Re-paint Your Heart Out

On Saturday, more than 1,500 Chesapeake good citizens treated 25 elderly homeowners to a day of home improvements as part of first regional clean-up and paint day.

But the program started in Chesapeake six years ago.

Rotarian Robert F. Ripley introduced the fix-up day idea to the Chesapeake Rotary Club after seeing a similar event in Florida. He said it took about two years of talking about the project before the plan was finally adopted by the club. Six years later as Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth and Norfolk signed on, paint day has become a regional event.

``I knew helping others would work,'' Ripley said. ``And I take great pride in saying `I told you so.' ''

As the volunteers gathered at Chesapeake City Park, they were attired in their paint day T-shirts complimentary of Hoffman Beverage/Budweiser, a major sponsor.

``It looks like an invasion of friendly forces,'' said one Rotarian.

``Yea, but they are armed,'' said a colleague as he took in the rakes, shovels, paint brushes, rollers and ladders that were unloaded.

City Councilman W. Joe Newman's assignment was to direct the busy flow of traffic as delivery trucks, supply vans and eager volunteers rolled in, and to make sure there were no traffic snarls in the supply pick-up lanes.

Newman did a good job telling arriving drivers where to go, and by the end of the morning he had made one sharp observation.

``I've had more luck parking cars than working with city council,'' Newman admitted.

Later in the day, Ann Baldwin, of the Norfolk marketing team, was spotted walking down Indian River Road with her clipboard as she looked for a Norfolk home site.

But members of the Jefferson National Bank team quickly let her know she was in Chesapeake, not Norfolk.

``When you don't know what city you're in, it's called regionalism,'' Baldwin shot back.

Once again super sleuth, Elsie MacAlister, tracked down the Greenbrier Presbyterian workers.

Several years ago, the team treated MacAlister's home to a make-over.

Ever since, MacAlister has treated her helpers to goodies. Last year they received homemade cookies, and this year the group feasted on her homemade brownies.

Kind of makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it?

``Quick, quick get a photographer,'' said an anxious spectator as he scooped up a toddler.

All hands turned to check out the situation only to see Mayor William E. Ward holding a little girl as he pointed out all the hustle and bustle clean-up and painting activity going on at an Indian River home.

``Get a picture of the mayor holding a baby,'' Ward demanded as he somewhat sheepishly added. ``I need all those `mayor holding baby' photos I can get.''

- Susan Smith

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