Lynchburg’s refurbished parking meters collect money to provide kids with sports opportunities

Change for Change donated $4,000 to the Lynchburg Area Youth Sports Initiative

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Thanks to your loose change, refurbished parking meters around Lynchburg are making a big difference.

Change for Change Caring Meters collect money and once they save $1,000, the organization will donate it to a local organization in need.

With the help of matching partners, they presented a $4,000 check Tuesday to the Lynchburg Area Youth Sports Initiative.

The group organizes pop-up sports clinics for children and provides them with equipment through the Lynchburg Sports Locker.

Todd Olsen, head women’s soccer coach at the University of Lynchburg, is a part of the initiative. He said the money will provide more children with opportunities.

“We have a society now that’s a pay-to-play model. If you don’t have a lot of money, it’s really hard to play, it’s hard to get good. At the University of Lynchburg, if you want to play women’s soccer here, it costs thousands and thousands to get good enough to play; and that’s not fair for a lot of people in our community,” said Olsen.

Change for Change has donated more than $15,000 to five organizations since it started two years ago.


About the Author:

Tim Harfmann joined the 10 News team in September 2020 and works at the station's Lynchburg bureau.