b"Safe CrossingGetting to know our local crossing guardsBY DANIELLE ALFONZO WALSMANO ur crossing guards are familiar faces looking afterwho don the vest and brave the elements for our kids. They serve not only the youngest souls of our community as they maketo remind students to look both ways but also as a physical reminder to all theirwaytoschool.Havingspentthepastfewmoms, dads and other motorists of the need to slow down. months on this three-part series honoring someHere, in our final installment of the series, we honor four more of the he-of the superstars among their ranks, I am reflect- roes who make sure that each of us pauses long enough in our day to ensure ing on the beauty of the intergenerational work ofthat our neighbors get where they are going unharmed. these warm-hearted men and women. Danielle Alfonzo Walsman is a Maplewood resident who lives at a busy intersec-That is, we dont all have the benefit of in-town grandparents, but all ourtion and counts her crossing guard as a treasured member of the family who kept lives are enriched by the care and wisdom of these mostly retired individualsher boys safe from stroller days through senior year.Meet IanPost: Glenview Road and Brentwood Drive, South OrangeHometown: South OrangeThe children walking to South Mountain Annex have been in good hands for the past year with Ian look-ing out for them. Ian grew up in a large family in Trinidad before moving to Orange, NJ, as a young man. He is now a proud resident of South Orange. Before his retirement, he enjoyed a 30-year career as an ornamental and architectural union ironworker working on the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Each day, Ian wears a Dinkins campaign pin on his collar as an ode to the many years he spent getting out the vote for candidates as diverse as David Dinkins, Richard Codey, John Corzine and Barack Obama. Just the memory of Codeys recent death brought a tear to his eye.To speak with Ian is to experience his warmth, quick laughter and willingness to share his seemingly lim-itless collection of heartwarming stories about the things that have given meaning to his life. When asked about his experience being a crossing guard, he remarks with grave seriousness, I love those kids. Their safety is paramount. My job is to make sure that every single kid goes home safely to their mother. He adds, You dont get paid much, but I feel a sense of achievement when I am doing this job. I wouldn't trade it for noth-ing in the world.We are lucky that our towns continue to be a part of Ians story.Meet DennisPost: North Ridgewood Road and Mead Street, South OrangeHometown: South OrangeDennis is a South Orange resident who has helped students make their way safely to South Orange Middle School for 22 years, serving the entire time at the same intersection. He retired from a career at Automatic Switch Company in Florham Park where he served as a foreman in the design and manufacturing of electrical switches and controls.Being a crossing guard originally appealed to Dennis because of its part-time nature and the opportunity to interact with the kids, who he says are great and the best part of the job. In his opinion, the hardest part of the job is getting motorists to pay attention and slow down. He says, In the morning, they are in a real hurry rushing to work. Forget about it. He describes the afternoons as more relaxed, except for the occasional rambunctious kid.He spends his weekends staying busy with his own grown kids, some of whom live locally. Dennis loves and looks forward to the warm weather of spring. He says this winter was a rough couple of weeks, but the fresh air is great. Dennis plans to keep crossing children at this corner for as long as he is able. Lets hope that the mild temperatures of spring are just around the corner.28/ matters magazine / hearth + home 2026"