The police chief and mayor last week recognized a crossing guard who has retired after nearly two decades helping township children safely make it to and from school.
Alfred Huff served as a crossing guard for 18 years. On Monday night, Gloucester Township Police Chief W. Harry Earle presented Huff with a plaque recognizing that service.
"It's not just traffic. It's their presence. It's just being that person who, when a parent lets go of that child to go off to school, and they have a man there like Mr. Huff for 18 years," Earle said.
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Huff was joined by family members at Monday's Township Council meeting. He crossed students of the St. Agnes and Gloucester Township schools in Blackwood over his 18 years as a township crossing guard.
The township's children "have depended on you for those 18 years. They have entrusted you. You have formed a bond with them. If it wasn't for your actions and, quite frankly, your diligence over those 18 years that we depended on you as a government here in Gloucester Township, as a police department, as the citizens of our community, those children would not have had the safe and secure passage as you provided," Mayor David Mayer said.
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Huff served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1959.
"He has served our country and our community for a very long time," Earle said.
Editor's Note: Check back with GT Patch Monday at noon for a blogger's thoughts on ceremonies like this one being held during Township Council meetings. It's safe to say he's probably not too happy to see this article.
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