Lory and Lynn Jung are making the world better, one tossed can at a time.
The couple, who have been married 43 years, spend at least one full day a week riding their bikes—to reduce their carbon footprint—around routes near their home in Delta to collect as many returnable cans as possible. They have built custom gear for their bikes to hold their bags, and make their way out early in the morning, before most of us have woken for the day.
“And if I see a can on the street, I’ll pick it up. It just adds up. You’d be surprised,” says Lynn.
By adds up, Lynn means they’ve collected thousands of dollars’ worth of returnable cans over the years. In fact, to date, they have donated over $31,000.
"We also acknowledge that we receive a great deal of support from households along the routes for this charitable endeavour."
“We don’t keep a dime of this money, it all goes to charity,” says Lory. Even the overhead costs like bike maintenance and repair are all paid for by the Jungs.
Lory and Lynn have a rotating selection of charities near and dear to their hearts they give the money to—animal non-profits, local municipal charities, Downtown Eastside support, and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.
By supporting VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, the Jungs are supporting more than hospital care—they are supporting multiple health care sites across Vancouver. Together, with likeminded philanthropists, they are putting the latest tools and technology in the hands of world-class medical teams, enabling them to provide the best possible care to save and improve lives.
And Lory knows the importance of this firsthand. After all, he is a former Mount Pleasant resident who found himself in need of care at VGH more than a few times.
But why put in all this effort to not keep a dime themselves?
“What are we going to do with this money? And especially when we collect from people who are just throwing money away. Why not give it to somebody that can benefit from it? I just feel from my heart that I've got to do what we do. I don't know. I don't know how else to explain it,” says Lynn.
In addition to their can collection efforts, Lory and Lynn Jung have also chosen to leave a gift in their wills to charities, including VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. To them, it’s the obvious choice.
“Why not give back to the community?” adds Lory. “It feels good to be doing it. We just want the money to go to help people.” The couple’s philanthropic endeavours, together with VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s compassionate community of legacy donors, ensures that future generations will have access to the same great care Lory has received.
Join Lory and Lynn’s quest to transform the future of health care by leaving a gift in your will. Your legacy gift will empower critical research, equip health care teams with cutting-edge technology and help transform care for all British Columbians for generations to come. For more information, visit vghfoundation.ca/cans-for-change.
