THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 15, 1995 TAG: 9509140143
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
When Elizabeth ``Betsy'' Lamy dumped her aluminum cans at Reynolds Recycling center last month, the only reward she expected was the $1 or $2 she received in payment and the customary ice cream cone she usually bought with the money.
Turns out, she could have bought about 12,000 ice creams that day.
Her 6-pound haul of aluminum netted her not only $1.80, but a winning ``Recycle and Win'' scratch off ticket as well. Three squares revealed a pickup truck, presumably to enable the winner to haul even more cans to Reynolds.
Lamy opted for the money - $12,823.
``I about flipped out,'' Lamy said Tuesday, clutching the check that was just presented to her. She's the only Virginia recycler to win one of the 35 Ford Rangers that were offered nationwide as a grand prize.
Lamy has multiple sclerosis, making her dedication to the environment even more inspirational, as it takes her extra effort to collect recyclables, load them in her station wagon and haul them to a recycling center. All from a wheelchair.
``I always figure out a way to do things,'' said the spunky, 45-year-old who enjoys wheelchair bowling, takes college courses and has been active in a local MS support group.
``I like to show normal people that we don't have to sit at home in a closet.''
Lamy has been recycling for about 10 years, before it became fashionable. She lives in a Lynnhaven condominium, so she has no curbside recycling and must haul everything to recycling centers herself.
``I like to do my little bit to keep my trash from going into the landfill,'' she said. ``If everyone did their little part, there would be less mess in this world.''
She's so conscientious that she has used the same brown plastic trash bag for her aluminum cans for two years now. A smoker, Lamy slips her cigarette butts back into the pack rather than tossing them to the ground.
She says she wishes she could do more, but she's often fatigued by her fight with MS.
``I like to go,'' Lamy said. ``So my wheelchair is my independence.''
Not only does Lamy try to stay active, she also loves to laugh.
``Laughter is real important,'' she said. ``When you laugh you pull in good oxygen. It's kind of like internal jogging.''
Multiple sclerosis attacks the central nervous system and can impair muscular coordination, vision, speech, balance and other functions.
Lamy was diagnosed with MS nearly 20 years ago, when she was 26. She was working as a nurse at Portsmouth General Hospital at the time and had a 16-month-old daughter.
She continued working for another nine years, until the disease became too disabling.
``I've learned to do things differently,'' Lamy said, ``although it takes me two to four times longer than it used to.''
When Lamy accepted her check last week, she brought along several weeks worth of cans to recycle. She was handed 62 cents.
She was a little disappointed. She said ice cream from the Hardee's drive through is 75 cents. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
I about flipped out,'' said Elizabeth ``Betsy'' Lamy, clutching the
check - $12,823 - that was just presented to her. She is the only
Virginia recycler to win one of the 35 Ford Rangers that were
offered nationwide as a grand prize.
by CNB