Tuesday, March 2, 2021
www.the-papers.com
Serving Elkhart County and parts of Noble, LaGrange & Marshall Counties Know Your Neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2➤ Speak Outs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Good Neighbor. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Vol. 48 No. 47
Goshen (574) 534-2591
Everyday heroes:
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134 S. Main, Goshen, Indiana 46526
s r e v i r sd
o t e t bu i r t A
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% \ 5$< %$/2*+ 6WDII :ULWHU [Editor’s note: School bus drivers provide a vital service to the children and their families in the community. Unfortunately, word count limits do not permit a full tribute to each of the bus drivers throughout Elkhart County. The PAPER offers a heartfelt hat tip to all the bus drivers, transportation directors and support staffs of the Baugo, Concord, Elkhart, Fairfield, Goshen, Middlebury and Wa-Nee community school systems.] As Elkhart County schools resume in-person classroom instruction, once again “the wheels on the bus go ’round and ’round.” And steering those wheels is a small army of heroes who don’t wear capes, dedicated community servants known as bus drivers. Their day begins hours before the first school bell rings, warming up frigid machines, scraping windows and performing multipoint mechanical and safety inspections. Then, twice daily, they perform the tandem tasks of muscling their 14-ton eggshell along city streets, county roads and state highways, and shepherding incalculably valuable cargo, little lives who give their full faith and trust to the driver when they step on the bus. All the while the drivers maintain constant 360-degree vigilance for irresponsibly distracted or inexcusably self-important drivers who blow through flashing stop arms. These servants invariably do this without harm or incident, day after day, school year after school year, and like
*5((7,1*6 ³ Wa-Nee bus driver Richard Stutzman greets his young charges for the trip home. He has driven for 29 years and always places student safety flrst. Photo by Ray Balogh.
'$,/< &+(&. ³ Richard Stutzman checks the movement of the stop arm on his school bus. Drivers conduct a walk-around inspection before every trip they make. Photo by Ray Balogh. a comfortable shoe that is taken for granted, they go unnoticed and unsung. Imagine their gratification in receiving even a small token of appreciation delivered by one of the precious little souls they transport every day. But driving isn’t all they do, not by a long shot, according to Amy S. Rosa, director of transportation of Wa-Nee Community Schools. “They are awesome, far beyond a professional driver,” she said. “They must often take on additional roles such as nurse, teacher, law enforcer, mechanic or janitor. They investigate, counsel, mediate, protect and peace make. They troubleshoot, tie shoes, zip coats, find hats, close bags and protect cherished school projects. At athletic, band, choir and academic events they are cheerleaders, always providing a ‘good job’ for their passengers, win or lose.” Richard Stutzman has been a Wa-Nee bus driver for 29 years and gave his bird’s-eye perspective on his job. “I have seen many changes over the years,” he said, “but student safety has always remained a number one priority. I remember in my school years a bus driver took time out of their busy schedule to get me to school safely, and I enjoy transporting our future generations as a way to give back to our great community.” The students’ welfare has always been front and center for Annette Brown in her 25 years of driving a school bus. During the pandemic shutdown, “I missed most seeing my kids and making sure they were were fed, clothed and O OK w re excited to come back. They all OK.. Theyy we were w wa nted to do the right things, to be in school scho h ol wanted and have a routine.” T e Wa-Nee Th W -Nee Transportation Wa Transportation t Departme t ntt The Department consists of 66 employees and 53 vehicles. Drivers log nearly half a million miles a year, serv-
ing 19 venues in and around the school district, including the district’s schools, Head Start program, special education, preschool, alternative school, Elkhart Area Career Center and Boys and Girls Club. Routes also include shuttling athletic teams, bands and choirs and students going on field trips and other extracurricular events. When government pandemic restrictions went into place in mid-March, bus drivers ran three times a week delivering meals to pickup points for families in need. “You have to be a special person to take on this responsibility,” said Rosa. “You have to really love the kids and the families you serve.” Rosa extended her kudos to both drivers and students. “Our drivers are conscientious professionals who go above and beyond to ensure the safety of their passengers and the motorists with whom they share the road. Our students are among the best and the brightest. They observe safety and behavior rules and they are taught to respect others. “It is our privilege to serve the Wa-Nee community,” she said.