Celebrate the guardians of crosswalk on May 1

Crossing guards are out there to shepherd us safely across the street. They keep children safe from traffic throughout the year—no matter the conditions: wind, rain, snow or sweltering heat. Since 2005, the State of Illinois has been officially honoring these individuals with Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on May 1.  

As part of this event, Active Trans wants to hear about your favorite crossing guards. Do you know a crossing guard who has gone the extra mile to ensure the safety of children in your community? If so, please complete this form. We may feature your stories in our newsletter.

Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians all owe a bit of thanks to our unsung heroes. Here are a few ways you can show your crossing guard appreciation on May 1.

• Present them with this certificate of appreciation (just print the PDF and fill in your crossing guard's name on the certificate.

• Ask your town to deem May 1 as Crossing Guard Appreciation Day.

• Write a thank you note.

• Have one of your children draw a picture of your crossing guard in action.

• Bring him or her flowers from your garden.

• Give the guard a gift card to a local business.

Even if you don't typically encounter crossing guards in your community, there's likely a crossing guard at work near where you live or work. Crossing Guard Appreciation Day provides a great opportunity to introduce yourself and say "thanks" for his or her efforts in keeping children in the community safe.

Read comments people made about their favorite crossing guards in 2009 and 2010. Also, read this brief article about one crossing guard from Berwyn that appeared in Active Trans' newsletter, ModeShift.