Meet Fannie Chappel
by Lydia
Poncé
She’s lived in Venice
since 1973. Fannie has been picking up litter on Broadway Ave. and surrounding
streets for more than 30 years. You can find her as early as 7 AM, Monday
through Saturday, volunteering and collecting the unthinkable, to depose of it
properly. I stopped to interview her . She’s really quite shy and is the
most humble person I’ve met.
Beachhead:
In 2003, people are still littering. Why do you think people are still trashing
Venice streets?
Fannie:
The parents haven’t taught their children right, or people just
don’t care. Some people that visit Venice are the ones that litter. People
that pass through here throw the trash down.
Beachhead:
Have you seen where the trash ends up when it rains or when it is hosed off the
sidewalks and
streets?
Fannie:
Well some of it stays on the
street...
Beachhead:
It would be a much trashier place! For miles you can see the trash collected on
the sand and it takes a day for it to be cleaned up! Fanny, you are part of the
solution to Venice’s pollution!! Candy wrappers, cigarette butts, baby
pacifiers, Styrofoam cups and paper plates! Miles and miles of this stuff washes
up on our
beach!
Fannie:
Well that’s what I pick up off the street. There’s a lot of chip
bags, coffee cups and paper. The furniture is picked up and that takes time. I
find allot of food containers. Once in awhile I’ve found hypodermic
needles and I leave the condoms. I’ve found a couple of dollars once in
awhile, too.
Beachhead:
What do like most about the volunteering you
do?
Fannie:
Everybody’s friendly – People tease when they offer to come and help
out, but then they don’t come through. (She said with a
smile.)
Beachhead:
Who supplies you with what you
need?
Fannie:
I supply myself with rubber gloves and trash
bags.
Beachhead:
What motivates you
Fanny?
Fannie:
It makes the neighborhood look better and I was raised that way.
Beachhead:
Do you have any holiday wishes for the people of
Venice?
Fannie:
People can still be friendly and they need to act as family. Come and help me in
the New Year and take more pride in our neighborhood.
Posted: Mon - December
1, 2003 at 03:45 PM