Solid Waste employees surprise child with a special gift

If you work in waste collection, it’s a familiar sight to see children fascinated by your truck as you drive your route. There’s just something about a waste collection truck that inspires the imagination of children. For Henry Parrish and Shayne Boleware of the Garbage Division, it’s no different. Twice each week, they’d honk the horn of their truck and wave at little Caleb Alvarez, who lived along their route.

But as the holidays approached last year, they went above and beyond: they gave Caleb a special gift, a toy garbage truck.

"On a special day while I was working from home, I noticed the garbage truck had stopped and spent an unusually long time in front of the house," wrote Caleb’s dad Jorge, in an email that made its way to the Department. "This caught my attention and once I finished my call, I went downstairs to find my son playing with a toy garbage truck that Shayne and Henry bought him for Christmas. Wow, this totally blew mine and my wife’s minds. It was a single beautiful act of unexpected kindness."

"You exemplify what an outstanding employee is by being a hard worker, showing compassion, patience, and putting smiles on the faces of others and bringing happiness to families during these challenging times," said Department Director Michael Fernandez to Shayne and Henry. "For customers to take the time to express their satisfaction with our employees and service delivery makes us all very proud."

Indeed it does.