b'Meet Linda Meet CalvinPost: Boyden Avenue and Tuscan Road, Maplewood Post: Valley Street and Parker Avenue, MaplewoodHometown: Newark Hometown: MaplewoodWhen I met Linda, she was fairly new to being a crossing guard andIfyouhaveeverdrivenpastthemayhem had been safely crossing Seth Boyden Elementary students for approximatelythat is the intersection of Valley Street at Co-three weeks. Linda learned of the job opportunity from a friend who crosseslumbia High School each school morning, then children at a nearby corner in Maplewood and says she has loved getting toyou may recognize Calvin. He has been crossing know the children and families that she sees twice daily. They tell me tostudents at this post for 11 years and has been a stay warm and have a nice day eachMaplewood resident for 30 years. He says that morning. She says they have even morewhen he applied for the role he told his inter-energy each afternoon as they boundviewer, Give me the post that nobody wants. home full of stories. If its challenging, Im your guy. I watched him Whenaskedaboutthecareershehop in between cars to shepherd children as we had before retiring, Lindas face brokespoke, and he called out, If you are afraid of into a smile as she described caring forcars, this is not the post for you.patients as a nurse at a psychiatric hos- Calvin remembers walking to school in Newark during his school years and pital in Brooklyn. She also spoke fond- said his children (now grown) all came up through the South Orange & Ma-ly of her own days walking with friendsplewood School District and graduated from Columbia High School. Perhaps to elementary school and junior highthat is why he says, I treat each child like my son or daughter. If you do that, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.you feel good inside. His life experience also includes nine years in the United On even the coldest days that weStates Marine Corps and decades working at Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.experienced this winter, Linda says sheCalvin laughs easily, is super friendly and says he loves meeting people, didnt mind the temperatures becausewhich is why he chose being a crossing guard as a way to give back to the town she knows how to dress for it. Linda is glad to be a crossing guard in Maple- he loves. On the weekends, Calvin stays busy going to church and spending wood and plans to keep crossing children as long as the good Lord permitstime with his wife. He predicted that she was not going to believe that he was her. going to be in Matters Magazineone of his favorite publications.feature story /29'