With so many organizations coming up with new and challenging ways to raise money for their cause, the pop can pull-tab seemed to have faded off into obscurity, but it hasn't. Like runs and relays, pull-tabs are still bringing in money just at a much slower pace.
While other people are out there collecting dolls and coins, 65-year-old Beaver Bank resident Beryl Keddy is combing the dirty sidewalks and parking lots to add to her own collection - aluminium pull-tabs. She doesn't put them up on a shelf though, once she has a few thousand she delivers them to the Sackville Kinsmen where they package them up and take them to a recycling depot for cash. The cash is then used to purchase and repair wheelchairs.
"I've been at it for more than a decade," said Keddy. "I've asked friends, co-workers - just everyone I meet to pick up a tab when they see it. And they do."
Each year, Keddy puts out a challenge to people to see how many tabs they can collect. So far, Keddy has collected about 750,000 tabs for the program. One of her best friends told her grandson about it, and he decided to jump on board. The eight year old, who lives in the Annapolis Valley, ended up gathering more than 10,000 tabs, and he's not stopping there.
"I thought it would be a nice thing to help someone with getting a wheelchair," said Nick White. "I was collecting them at my cottage and I just asked everyone to start collecting them for me."
Pull-tab collecting has an interesting history with dozens of websites designated to the subject including information on how they are used, even funny stories and myths and urban legends surrounding the tab - you can even sell your pull-tabs on eBay.
According to Sackville Bottle Exchange, aluminium is running at about 50 cents per pound. It takes approximately 1,500 tabs make up a pound so that means that over 10 years Keddy has raised approximately $250, which may not seem like much, but to Theresa King, 66, and her husband Jim, 67, people like Beryl and every tab they save is helping buy them a better quality of life. Last week, money from the Tabs For Wheelchairs program purchased a scooter for Jim, who suffered a stroke 14 years ago.
"He can come outside with me now," said Theresa King who has to speak for her husband. "We can enjoy the sunshine together."
Kinsmen and Kinette clubs have been promoting the Tabs For Wheelchairs program since 1998. Phillip Smith is the project chair for the program in Sackville.
"I feel honoured to be a part of such a worthwhile project," he said. "Tabs For Wheelchairs has helped many people in our community."
blhall@eastlink.ca
