Editor, The News:
Tuesday morning around 9.10 am, Ron Copak was driving his mother to her club to see some friends. What he had forgot was the fact that he had placed his wallet, along with $900 cash and a cheque to the SPCA, on the roof of his car.
Fortunately, it hit him but not until he had almost reached his destination. He quickly turned around and raced home despite the sinking feeling in his gut.
A few blocks away from his home, driving up 236 Street and around Maple Ridge Park North, he found what he had first thought was a piece of wood; his wallet.
It had been driven over several times but everything was in tact. That in itself was reward enough, especially if you have ever had to replace id and credit cards.
In front of his home, he found a couple of the lottery tickets that had been attached to the bundle of money and his shopping list. A few coupons also survived.
The road was thoroughly searched by foot, on both sides and from his residence down to the park and back. Nothing.
Pretty well giving up on ever finding the cash, he made a call to the Ridge Meadows RCMP to report what had happened. Who knows, it’s Christmas and maybe someone will turn it in, he thought.
A few minutes later, the telephone rang and a woman asked if he had lost anything.
“Nine hundred dollars,” he said, not even questioning who he was talking to.
Who he was talking to was Lynn Prindle, a neighbour, so to speak, who happened to be walking in the neighbour with her friend Sharon, something they do almost every day.
The two had found the money, scattered in the street, tire marks of several cars having driven over it. Nonetheless, they collected the bills, thinking about how upset someone was at losing this.
Only a month or so ago, Lynn’s husband lost his wallet with precisely the same amount in it. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t even get his identification and credit cards back.
As Lynn would say later, “We could have never kept the money. Never”.
Relaying the story of her husband’s unfortunate experience, her only option was to turn it in to the RCMP.
However, what Lynn and Sharon found amongst the currency was a cheque Mr. Copak had made out to the SPCA, a generous donation to his favourite charity. On the cheque was his name, address and telephone number and, thus, how Lynn had found him.
These kind of stories warm our heart at any time of year, let alone at Christmas.
People like Lynn and Sharon didn’t need anything more than their honesty and integrity, something that they live by day in and day out.
David Bain
Maple Ridge