Stop & Hug A Crossing Guard Today!
May 4th Is Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
That’s right.
Today is Crossing Guard Appreciation Day!
The State of Illinois made the official proclamation back in December to celebrate these under appreciated stalwarts of safety.
In Chicago, armed with their bright orange safety vests and hand held stop signs, over 1,100 blue uniformed crossing guards slow down traffic to make sure our city’s children get to and from school safely each and every day.
The Active Transportation Alliance wants to make sure you show your appreciation for your local crossing guard today. They recommend giving them a thank you card, or drawing them a picture, bringing them flowers or even giving them a Certificate of Appreciation you can download from the Active Trans website.
In fact, Active Trans is encouraging people to share their thoughts about their local crossing guard to be featured in an upcoming newsletter from their organization.
In Chicago, the idea for adult crossing guards got it starts with then President of the Chicago Region PTA, Ester Saperstein urged PTA members to write their state legislators about the concept according to the SEIU Local 73 website. At the time, this job was handled by older students from each school’s safety patrol.
A pilot program initiated by the Chicago Board of education began in the city in 1948. But due to a lack of funds, the police department took over the responsibility for the program in 1951, and continue to supervise the program to this day.
But now, over 50 years later, it’s a day to take a moment and show your appreciation for your local crossing guard.
Just make sure you stay within the crosswalk when you do it.
Photo copyright and courtesy of TheeErin’s Flickr page.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theeerin/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Crossing Guard on the way to my son’s school is AWESOME! I tell her all the time.
I think Crossing Guards need more help tbh.
I see ignorant drivers nearly run into them daily.
What about hug a p.e.a day???? Who else gives you an orange envelope that you can use as a coaster, coupon holder, door jammer, glove, sunflower seed trash receptor, shoe sole……. thank you p.e.as.
I think if you tried to hug a PEA, you might get yourself arrested and/or your butt kicked.
Well….while I wouldn’t mind it..
It would be strange
I might do that just to see what happens!
John…unless you are Blonde, 28/36/28 Female and a Nympho….
I’ll pass on that thanks.
DoR Employee,
Are you quite sure those are the measurements you’re after?
[...] It began as a pilot program last summer, and as a way to give crossing guards, unable to get one of the rare summer school crossing guard positions, a way to continue to bring in a paycheck when school was finished in June, according to Crossing Guard Coordinator John Maciezjewski, a retired police officer. This year it’s been rolled out city wide to give summer employment opportunities to the over 1,100 crossing guards working for the city. [...]