Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido Honors City Crossing Guards

Editor’s Note: We received Mayor Pulido’s column today for online publication. We will publish the column in print next Friday June 27.

Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido (left) recognized Cerritos crossing guards, thanking them for their dedicated service during this past school year and over the many years of service to the community.

By Mayor Mark E. Pulido

As the father of two young children attending schools in Cerritos, their safety is of the highest importance to me and my wife Gloria. Thanks to the work of the crossing guards in the city, I can rest assured knowing that the children of our community are in good hands while navigating the streets around their schools. The work that our crossing guards perform throughout the year is invaluable in helping to ensure the safety of all of the children and families in our community.

There are 26 crossing guards in the City whose years of service range from months to 33 years. Regardless of their number of years served, their spirit and professionalism contribute to the City’s outstanding reputation. Our crossing guards are part of the unsung, everyday heroes who help make Cerritos safe and livable for all.

I recently had the honor of recognizing our crossing guards and thanking them for their dedicated service during this past school year and over the many years of service to the community. It was my privilege to acknowledge them for protecting the lives of the students in our community and the parents and guardians who accompany them to and from school every day.

The crossing guards who work for the City of Cerritos and their years of service are: Angie Bednar, 33 years; Rita Santos, 25 years; Maureen Siegrist, 19 years; Dominic Bianco, 18 years; Gene Hanners, 17 years; Dan Clark, 14 years; Manuel Da Silva, 14 years; Lattimore Crain, 14 years; Patricia Knight, 13 years; Gloria Vargas, 13 years; Joanne Feuer, 12 years; Jim Hauser, 12 years; Michael Wheeler, 11 years; Lynden Lischer, 10 years; Igmedio Agustin, nine years; Georgia Tanaka, eight years; Roger Estrada, eight years; Catherine Corbett, seven years; Barbara Murphy, seven years; Gary Bozeman, seven years; Trina Burrell, six years; Victor Aguilar (substitute guard), six years; Donna Vena (substitute guard), three years; Mark Hayes (substitute guard), three years; Rick Breckenridge (substitute guard), three years; Edward Johnson (substitute guard), two months.

In addition to relying on the exceptional service of our crossing guards to keep our children safe, the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station/Community Safety Center offers the following pedestrian safety tips for children:

• Parents and children should hold hands in parking lots.
• Never allow children under age 10 to cross streets alone. Adult supervision is essential until you are sure a child has good traffic awareness and judgment.
• Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Make sure children know to cross 10 feet in front of a school bus, never behind, and to wait for adults on the same side of the street as the school bus loading or unloading zone.
• Teach your child never to run out into a street for a ball, a pet or any other reason.
• Make sure your child plays in safe places away from motor vehicles, such as yards, parks and playgrounds, and never in the street.

The next time you see a crossing guard, please thank them. They truly deserve it!