FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio — It's a brand new school year in Fairview Park. Students will have new teachers and friends. But on the corner of West 220th and Alexander, there's one familiar face they look forward to seeing each morning and afternoon.
Her name is Bobbie Wright, the city's favorite school crossing guard for the last 50 years.
"Well, I started as a school guard and I'm also an auxiliary police officer, so I direct traffic besides crossing the children. And they're great," Bobbie told us.
But they're not just "great." These kids are family.
"Hey! Look at that! Noah! Hi babe! Hi sweetheart! See you after school everybody!" Bobbie exclaimed. "I don't have any children. These are my children to and from school. And, and as I tell the parents, no one's gonna get hurt. I will handle that."
She's the best protector money could buy and a solid representative of the badge she wears. Just ask her boss, the chief of police of Fairview Park.
"I've been on this department for 27 years, and Bobbie basically exemplifies what we want in service. She's selfless. She puts others before herself," Chief Paul Shepard said. "Just an incredible lady every day that, every day that she comes and wears her uniform, she positively impacts the community and represents the department in the highest way."
On Tuesday, community members brought balloons to mark her 50 years of service. They said "thank you." Though, it's Bobbie who always goes out of her way to be polite.
"Good morning! How are you?" She said to drivers crossing the road.
She's touched that so many people thought of her today; even the mayor showed respect.
"Bobbie Wright is just one of the nicest people you'll ever wanna meet," said Fairview Park Mayor Patrick Cooney. "I wanna thank her for her service. I just wanna thank her for her positive nature."
If you ask Bobbie? She's just happy to be here, doing the job she loves to do, in the community she'll always consider home.
"A friendly hi. And, thank you. And, how are you doing? It's usually what we talk about, you know, when they, when they bring the children to school ... how are you doing? And I wouldn't trade it. I wouldn't trade it for the world," Bobbie said.
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