Oregon Trail Loves Their Light-Up Man

 

After shuffling their way through neighborhood streets, the last stop for thousands of North Clackamas students and families who walk to school each morning often comes at a crosswalk, where they’re met by a friendly crossing guard who makes sure drivers stop at the flashing lights blinking from all directions.

At Oregon Trail Elementary, those blinking lights are actually woven into their favorite volunteer crossing guard’s clothes.

Rain or shine every morning, students and families are guided across SE 152^nd Avenue by neighbor Gordon Hubbard…who lights up kids’ faces by always reporting for duty decked out in blinking multicolored lights from head to toe.

“I’m just trying to help out my community,” says the 77-year-old Hubbard, who first started volunteering at Oregon Trail last year after a long stint volunteering at a local hospital. “Wearing all these lights in my clothes came from me just being silly and helping people get outside their comfort zone. It’s been great to see all the smiles on kids’ faces and just pass it on. I think we all need to do that more.”

Oregon Trail students and families can barely hold in their excitement when they see the glimmering grandpa at the crosswalk each morning. “I think the best thing about him is his clothes because I like rainbows and lights,” says fifth grader Harper Corti. “Seeing him makes me feel good.”

Known as simply “the light-up man” by many students, Hubbard plans to keep shining for years to come. “I obviously enjoy it,” he says with an equally glowing smile. “It bounces back on you when you do something like this. It’s the smiles that come back that are so important for kids and for me too, as I get older. You want to be some help and make a difference.”