LOCK HAVEN -- A man in Clinton County has made it his mission to help others in need despite his own disabilities.
Rummaging through recycling bins looking for cans behind businesses in Lock Haven can get pretty smelly. This is a regular day for Ronald Bauman. He doesn't collect cans because he needs to, he collects them because he wants to.
"All my life I try to help other people," said Ron Bauman.
At 66 years old, Ron and his shopping cart have become something of a fixture in downtown Lock Haven. Businesses look forward to his visit.
"You can be in a bad mood but when you see him you are always he makes you smile," said Sabrina MacKanzie.
"We always see him walking up and down the streets too he is a very hard worker," said Hanna Smith-Williams.
Despite disabilities including a speech impediment Ron has raised well over $100,000 for local charities. Over the past 20 years, he's participated in a variety of charity events and of course he's collected cans.
"He takes those cans takes them to his garage takes the tabs off smashes them and then the cans are turned in to for money for the recycling,” said Pastor Mark Riley.
Ron donates that money to his Church Flemington First Church of Christ. As for the tabs, he's been collecting those since 2013. Now there are barrels of them at the church near Mill Hall.
"There's three 55-gallon bins full of pop tabs, there's two full 35 gallons,” said Riley.
Ron's been collecting all of those tabs for a good reason. He tells us he plans to cash them in at a recycling center and then donate the money to the Ronald McDonald house in central Pennsylvania.
"It's just amazing that one individual can do that," said Riley.
While working to give back Ron has made friends willing to give to him.
"He's just a great person and we just absolutely love him we would do anything for him," said Smith-Williams.
Ron says he will continue to raise money as long as he can.
