Coins At Fountains

[terry1156]

I went to the local park the other day with my niece. It was a fairly hot day and she began wading in the fountain pool to cool off. About 15 minutes later she came up to me with a handful of coins that people had apparantly thrown into the fountain for good luck. She asked me if she could keep them and I wasn't sure what to say.

What is the etiquette for that? I assume that you are not supposed to take them, but someone obviously does from time to time (at least at our park) since the fountain never fills up with money. Does anyone know?

[DivaJen]

That's a good question. It would feel like stealing to me to take them, yet you're right - someone does take them. Hmmmm.....

Wouldn't it be great if all of that money were going to needy people? I know that I'm deluding myself here, but it would be a nice use of the chagne people freely give away.

[crosses]

I know that at our local amusement park they park collects the coins thrown in their pools and give them to various charities. I don't know about public land, but I bet if you called your city governement office, they could probably tell you.

[emily1067]

Maybe you could have let her take them and then the two of you could have donated them to charity together...

[Amelia]

A nice thought the only problem I would foresee is if every time you went she would want to do it-and you could get in trouble-maybe call whomever and see if that would be ok?? If it gets sent to overseeing park? or a charuty they may not mind but I'd get permission first, just because...

[SeeAPenny]

....(Sorry -- slightly off topic here, but I had to smile because this thread reminded me of a commercial that ran on TV several years ago, which I can honestly say was one of the precious few advertisements I've seen in all my born days that I actually LIKED. I think it was for an investment company or something. It begins with a man suiting up in a wetsuit -- close-ups of him zipping up, slipping on flippers, adjusting his mask, and snorkel. Ok. But the next shot is of him splashing around in a outdoor public fountain gathering change, with a voiceover that states "And how are you planning to fund YOUR child's college education...?". Heh, silly!)....

[amomof4]

That was cute, seeapenny. Thanks for posting.