By Mike Morsch, Executive Editor
Bob George has always handled things with care.
Before he retired the first time, he worked for a moving company as a packer. If a family was moving to a different part of the country, Mr. George was the guy who carefully packed the fine china for the journey so that it would survive the trip with no damage.
And he took just as much care in his second career, as a crossing guard at Cranbury School, when it came to a family’s most valuable possessions — its children.
“I just wanted to do something and I thought it would be a good thing,” said Mr. George of being a crossing guard. “Cranbury is just a super town, the kids were super kids and the families are great. I enjoyed that, I felt that I was doing something real good.”
Indeed he was. And the Cranbury School community, as well as the Cranbury Police Department, recognized Mr. George at the end of the school year, when he once again retired, this time leaving the community to move down the shore to be closer to family.
With the help of the Cranbury School and its PTO, Mr. George was presented with an engraved jar. As students left school on his last day, they each put a penny in the jar to “wish him luck” in his next chapter of life. The students also made a large crossing guard sign and signed it with thank you and good luck notes.
“It was really a surprise. I wasn’t expecting all of that,” said Mr. George.
“Bob, as well as all our long-time crossing guards, are very special to Cranbury. Not only do they keep our children safe as they travel to and from school, but they always have a kind word and a smile for the people crossing, even when it’s a bitter cold or especially rainy day,” said parent Claudette Guy. “These guards are part of what make Cranbury such a great small town to live in. We wanted to make sure Bob knew that we appreciated him and will miss him very much.”
School parents weren’t the only ones to speak highly of Mr. George. He got kudos from his friends and colleagues in the Cranbury Police Department as well. Mr. George has been a part of the department’s crossing guard program for the past 12 years. According to Police Chief Rickey Varga, Cranbury is primarily a walking community, and crossing guards are essential.
“Over the course of my 26 years with the Cranbury Township Police Department, traffic on Main Street has drastically increased. Our crossing guard program, working in coordination with our officers, is an integral part of the police department’s commitment to insure the safety of our children’s walk to and from school,” said Chief Varga. “Bob has been committed and extremely dependable, but most importantly, Bob was always found greeting the children with a smile and a kind word. He will be greatly missed by the children, parents and the officers who were all fortunate to spend part of their mornings and afternoons with Bob. We wish him all the best in his newfound retirement.”
According to Lt. Giuseppe DeChiara, administrative commander for the police department, crossing guards are deployed at key points within the township that are too close for bus pick up and drop off. The department currently employs eight full-time guards — who are employed for the full school year — and four part-time guards who fill in when needed.
Crossing guards stop and control all walkers at their post and then cross them together when there is a break in traffic. They are to first enter the intersection, raise their stop paddle, confirm traffic is stopped and then proceed to cross the walkers. A complete background investigation is performed on any prospective guard. The initial guard training is four hours of classroom training with Lt. DeChiara and then 20 hours of field training with a guard supervisor and overall police supervision.
Mr. George’s official start date with the crossing guard program was March 14, 2004.
“Crossing guards are of the utmost importance, more so today than ever. They are an extension of the police department, made up of individuals that are primarily part of the community in which they reside,” said Lt. DeChiara. “They are entrusted with the safety of our children and walkers for that short period of time, going to and coming from school. The job has consistently remained the same, however the difficulty has increased over the years as the vehicular traffic increases.”
Like Chief Varga, Lt. DeChiara also had high praise for Mr. George.
“No matter rain, snow, hot or cold, Bob has always been there. For every year for as long as I can remember, parents and children alike always paid their respects to Bob. Whether it’s an end of year card, or a tray of cookies, they never seem to forget about Bob,” said Lt. DeChiara. “God forbid he missed a day due to sickness or a doctor’s appointment, my telephone would be flooded with calls to make sure he was OK. In short, Bob loves children and people alike and truly loved what he did day in and day out as a crossing guard for Cranbury Township.”
Mr. George, who was born in Trenton, moved with his family to Hightstown when he was in the sixth grade. A graduate of Hightstown High School, he was a member of its 1950 Hall of Fame soccer team.
His move down the shore to be closer to his nieces was precipitated by an opportunity to get into a senior living facility for which he had been on the waiting list for about three years.
“That’s all I have in my life now, my two nieces. They wanted me to come down the shore to be closer,” said Mr. George. “If it wasn’t for being able to get into this facility, I would have probably stayed as a crossing guard. I kind of liked doing that.”
Mr. George also liked the children, parents and police officers as much as they liked him.
“Every day was new experience. The kids were so nice,” he said. “And they are great guys, those cops, from the chief right on down. I sure enjoyed working with them. It was fun and it was really rewarding for me.”
