Taking Care of the Pennies

Today (May 23) is “Lucky Penny Day.”  So I’m taking the liberty of reprising a post from more than seven years ago.  That one was inspired by a news report of a seventy-seven year old (at the time) Korean immigrant to Canada who picked up coins he found on the street and donated them to charity and to the unhoused.

“That is what I learned from my father in Korea when I was young: respect the penny,” New told CBC.

“Take care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves,” was one of Dad’s favorite expressions. He was, not to put too fine a point on it, thrifty (I attribute this aspect of his character to the Fraser strain in the family. Or perhaps it was growing up when times were a bit tough. Or maybe the War. Or something. Anyway, he was thrifty).

So I enjoyed this report about Young S. New, a Canadian immigrant from Korea, who took his own father’s advice (“respect the penny”), and has picked up hundreds of dollars in loose change he’s found lying on the city streets of Montreal and donated it to charity (“see a penny, pick it up, and all the day you’ll have good luck.”)

Ah, the power of a good example:

New’s labor of love has spurred other young people in the city to join him in his treasure hunt for coins on the street so they can donate them to charities of their own choosing. He was also given the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 as a means of thanking him for his volunteer efforts – but he only hopes that his recognition will inspire people to take better care of their coins.

Just a small thing. But a nice thing.