No matter what the weather, one Surrey school crossing guard shows up to keep students safe, rain or shine.
Lucy Hembrough is a 78-year-old volunteer school crossing guard at William F. Davidson Elementary in Surrey.
Her journey began many years ago when a friend of hers encouraged the stay-at-home mom to volunteer and help her community.
“It’s a rewarding job if you love kids, I love the kids,” Hembrough shared with Peace Arch News.
This year marks her 40th year of service working the crosswalk, both in the morning prior to school and after the final bell, at 156 and 99A Avenue.
“Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to kind of see them grow up and then have their own kids and everything. That’s really special,” she shared, adding that many of the kids she’s helped cross the street are now parents or even grandparents of the current crop of students she helps every day.
“One fellow is a police officer, one’s a nurse and one’s a teacher,” Hembrough said, noting that many of the parents whose kids now attend the school — and some who don’t but live in the area — will often stop by to say “Hi.”
Familiar faces will honk when driving by or will even stop and come give their childhood crossing guard a hug; Hembrough noted how special that feeling is.
She also mentioned that some of the teaching staff at William F. Davidson used to be kids she crossed years ago.
Not only does Hembrough receive warm welcomes and thoughtful conversations with previous students, but the current attendees at the school remind her why she does this job.
“Getting out in the morning and meeting with the kids is one of my favourite things. They’re so much fun and I just love all the kids,” she said.
She shared that she is invited to the Grade 7 graduation before the students go off to secondary school every year, with students and parents personally inviting her out. She does her best to always be present.
Hembrough explained that since she is now a senior, getting up and walking and moving is very helpful for any aches and pains. She says it’s a routine twice a day, five days a week that keeps her going.
“If I didn’t do the crossing guard to dos, I probably wouldn’t get up early and I’d be just sitting around.”
Hembrough also shared traffic is bad in the area and that the speed in which drivers will travel in the 30/kilometre per hour school zone is not always as it should be. “Traffic is terrible out there. Someone’s got to be there to get them across.”
Hembrough believes that safety above all else is why it is important to have crossing guards to keep families and students safe.
She noted that being a crossing guard can be difficult, because in Surrey and the rest of the Lower Mainland, weather is unpredictable.
“People don’t want to be out in the rain, snow, ice or whatever.”
Hembrough explained that though it is cold and sometimes snowing — and usually raining — she has been doing this for 40 years now and is used to this type of weather.
To honour Hembrough’s 40 years of service, William F. Davidson Elementary is planning a school-wide acknowledgement of this achievement in May or June this year.