Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
-School Crossing Guard Unit
2014 Maybelle Rollins Award Recipients:
School Crossing Guard Frances Dorsey
School Crossing Guard Robert Caney
School Crossing Guard Jack Adler
What:
Three Pinellas County school crossing guards have received the 2014 Maybelle Rollins Bradford Award for dedicated service to the children of Pinellas County.
When:
The awards luncheon was held Thursday, April 24, 2014.
Where:
The awards luncheon was held at Bascom’s Chop House located at 3665 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater.
Why/How:
Three outstanding Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office School Crossing Guards have received the Maybelle Rollins Bradford Award for their dedicated service to Pinellas County school children.
Mrs. Freda Turner and her husband, Mr. Thomas Turner initiated the Maybelle Rollins Bradford Memorial Award for the Pinellas Sheriff’s School Crossing Guards 39 years ago in honor of her mother, Maybelle Rollins Bradford. The Turners began the recognition after observing the care and concern school crossing guards displayed in their contact with children every day. Mrs. Turner continued this tradition following her husband’s death in 1980. Mrs. Turner, who passed away three years ago, made arrangements through a trust to carry on the tradition in her mother’s honor.
The recipients were recognized for meeting several criteria, to include attendance, care of students at their crossing, hazards at the crossing, length of service and conduct. Each recipient will receive a $100 check, an engraved plaque and a recognition name plate on a larger plaque that will be on display at the Sheriff’s Office.
The following school crossing guards were honored this year:
Frances Dorsey
Frances (Fran) Dorsey has been a school crossing guard since June, 2011. She was hired to work the post on 54th Avenue at 28th Street for Lealman Intermediate Middle School. Fran was a quick learner and adapted well to the training and requirements of the position. She was cross-trained at several other posts in the Lealman area. At the start of the 2012 school year, while very short on personnel, Fran volunteered to help if she was needed. For several months Fran took on the additional school crossing for Bardmoor Elementary School on Starkey Road and 94th Avenue and then did her Lealman Intermediate post as well. While Fran was assigned to work the Bardmoor Elementary post location, she helped deputies in identifying a vehicle involved in a pedestrian hit and run crash. Fran is a true team player and a great asset to the program.
Robert Caney
Robert (Bob) Caney has been a member of the school crossing guard program since August, 2000. He originally started working the school crossing on 15th Street and Virginia Avenue for Palm Harbor Elementary School. Bob was loved and respected by the 30 plus students and parents at this neighborhood school crossing. He knew all of the students names as well as their parents. When Palm Harbor Elementary School closed, Bob took on the responsibility of working a double post on Tampa Road and 15th Street for Ozona Elementary and Palm Harbor Middle. He presently works the school crossing on Union Street and Milwaukee Avenue for Dunedin Elementary and Dunedin Middle, crossing 50 students each morning and afternoon. Bob has established a great rapport with the students and people in the community. He is very sincere and outgoing to all. Bob has had some construction issues at his post and worked hard to maintain the safety of his students.
Jack Adler
Jack Adler has been a member of the school crossing guard program since August, 2008. In the six years Jack has been with the program he has cross-trained and worked six (6) different school crossing posts. Jack started out working Belcher Road at Sutherland Elementary School. This is a busy multi-lane divided roadway, where he helped cross over 100 students both morning and afternoon. Jack’s additional assignment has him working the challenging school crossing on Tampa Road at 19th Street for Palm Harbor Middle School. This is a busy crossing location with more than 300 students crossing a divided multi-lane roadway each day. Jack takes training very seriously and adapts well to new posts and the different traffic patterns. He has always worked hard to cultivate a good rapport with all his students. Jack’s knowledge and experience has become a great asset to the school crossing guard program.
From L to R -School Crossing Guards Frances Dorsey, Robert Caney and Jack Adler