Sometimes sites find the craziest things

Two stories on what sites have done to recover
lost family heirlooms

Tefillin

Brooklyn, N.Y. – Working with the New York City Department of Sanitation, a Waste Management
team from the Varick transfer station helped a customer find a valuable religious object, called a
tefillin. Comprised of two small boxes containing scripture passages handwritten on small parchment
scrolls, the Tefillin was handed down from generation to generation, and needed for the approaching
Passover holiday, which began April 14.

According to coverage in The Yeshiva World News, the man on April 8 could not find his Tefillin and
decided it had mistakenly been taken out with the garbage. After contacting the Department of
Sanitation, it was determined that the truck was still on route. It was then directed to the Varick transfer
station, where the contents were emptied on the tipping floor.

“After about an hour, a yell of excitement — as a volunteer found the missing pair of Tefillin,” Yeshiva
World News reported. “It goes without saying the sheer joy that the owner felt after being reunited with
his Tefillin.”

Photo : Varick Operations Supervisors Demba Kane and Fatima Correa and Manager Peter DeLuca, right,
assisted with the safe, happy recovery.

Wedding ring

Oklahoma City, Okla. – When East Oak Landfill Manager Shawn Cockrell received a call about a missing
wedding ring that belonged to Dr. Gary McNeil, a local veterinarian, he wasted no time.

“We do what we can to help them find it,” Cockrell said.

After several discussions with his team and the hauling district, they were able to identify the commercial
truck and arrange for it to head to the East Oak Landfill. Once the truck arrived, it was unloaded away from
the disposal area so a search could begin. After nearly one hour of searching, the missing ring was found.

The McNeil family was so happy they contacted the local news station. Shortly thereafter, a reporter
interviewed Cockrell for a segment entitled “Pay it 4Ward,” during which, Dr. McNeil remarked, “It was a
big-time thing for us. We really wanted it bad.”

According to Cockrell, this is the second call about a missing wedding ring he has received. Both were
reunited with the owner.

Photo : (L-R) Shawn Cockrell and Dr. Gary McNeil.