The "Tim...The Trash Man" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Front page of the morning paper had an article with a headline that read, 'THE TRASH MAN'.  Looked at the photograph a few times then realized I knew the guy in the photograph.  Friend from a long time ago by the name of Tim Kauffman.  But, he never was a trashman.  

He was actually my physical therapist years and years ago when I began having trouble with my back.  Got to know him many years before that when I played Little League Baseball and his older brother was on my team.  Did get to know Tim a bit better when both our sons were in the same scout troop together.  One weekend he gave me a call and asked if my son Tad and I wanted to help build a raft and take it over to the Susquehanna River to float down the river to help earn a scout badge.  He had already asked another dad, Sam, and his son Alex who had agreed to help.  Checked with Tad and he was anxious to give it a try, so I gave Tim a call and we set up a time to work on the raft.  We got a few wooden pallets from a grocery store and one Saturday got together at his home, which was only a few blocks from my house, and built our raft.  The next day we transported it to the river and Tim and I loaded the three boys on board and began floating down the Susquehanna while Sam drove the car to a spot along the river a few miles downstream to wait for us.  Had a great time as did the three boys.  I would see Tim from time to time since we lived in the same neighborhood, but when Carol and I moved to a different location about 20 years ago, I lost track of Tim and his family.  Well...today I got to see him once again...on the front page of the newspaper.  Looks a bit older with the gray hair and black-rimmed glasses, but I too look a bit older since I last saw him.  So, why is the story titled 'THE TRASH MAN'?  Seems that Tim goes to the nearby Grandview Heights Church a few blocks from his house and he now collects scrap metal from parishioners and neighbors and takes it to the local recycle center where he collects money for the metal which in turn is used by the church for divergent projects.  Tim's daughter, Emily, worked for the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, until recently, and suggested her dad take what he collects to the Authority which in turn will benefit both the community while reusing the metal scraps.  Tim does pickups at Grandview Church on the first Sunday of every month while making scheduled pickups from parishioners and neighborhood residents.  Tim served in the Army for nearly 40 years with six on active duty.  He wrote a military history of Grandview Church and is now working on a military history of the Physical Therapy Association which he is still a member of and which celebrates its 100th Anniversary this year.  He has traveled the world to talk about physical therapy in such places as Japan, Ireland, England, Australia and Suriname.  His metal collecting all began when his church was trying to decide how they could help Puerto Rico with recovery from two hurricanes.  Tim sort of took it from there. He now takes the metal to be recycled and receives $3.40 per pound for copper, $1.70 for brass, $0.35 for Aluminum and $0.06 per pound for Iron/steel.  For as long as I have known Tim, he has been part of one group or another that collects something to help raise money for a variety if causes.  So, I guess when I saw a photo on the front page of the newspaper with a guy standing next to a pick-up truck loaded with metal, I might have guessed it was Tim.  Well done Tim...you true and faithful servant!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.