Ann Arbor school bus drivers find unity, inspiration in Arbor Hospice blanket project
Ann Arbor Public Schools bus drivers Monique Hurley, left, and Rebecca Tubbs, right, work on their crochet squares in the lounge of the transportation building, where the drivers were working on blankets for patients at Arbor Hospice during their break.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
With cold winter weather, school district budget woes and talk of privatization, the folks who drive buses for the Ann Arbor Public Schools needed something to warm their hearts. So when one of the drivers suggested crocheting blankets for hospice patients, the response was overwhelming.
"We were all just sitting around the table one day, and usually in the winter time we do a lot of crocheting," said Lenette Mallory, who has been a bus driver for 11 years. "One lady said maybe we should just all crochet and donate to hospice. We thought that was a great idea, so she made a flier asking if anybody wanted to donate squares. The next day we had about 30 crocheted squares on the table."
The 30 squares have grown into five blankets of about 20 squares each, pieced together at the Ann Arbor schools' transportation lounge, where bus drivers hang out between shifts. The blankets will be donated to Arbor Hospice.
"It brought a lot of people together," said Mallory. "We have two or three women who have been crocheting for years and they taught some of the others to crochet. We've even had some of the men get involved."
Marie Blair was one of the women who had never crocheted before.
"I would come in every day and see them working on these squares, so finally I said I have to make at least one square," said Blair. "So I did do one. They taught me how. There are some very talented women down there. Some of them have little flowers in the middle of their squares. The squares are all different and beautiful."
Blair, who has worked for the transportation department for 18 years, said the project came at a good time because there has been tension at the lounge.
"If you come into the drivers' lounge, you can pretty much see the separation," said Blair. "You have one side where all of the black employees sit …. Then you have a table where the majority of the white employees sit. It's like, you know, they keep to themselves and we keep to ourselves. Also, just the work ethics of a unit this size causes people to be divided. Not everybody agrees on a lot of issues. We've had some tension."
Once the project got off the ground, people started bringing in yarn they had sitting around at home. People donated spare crochet needles. People put in time to help others learn.
"This thing here has caused us to come together and do something positive with each other," said Blair. … It has definitely brought some warmth on the drivers' lounge."
Blair said one employee said she almost wished she were in hospice so she could receive a blanket.
"I told her 'you don't have to be in hospice to get a blanket,'" said Blair, "and everyone came together and crocheted her a blanket as well. She is one of our oldest employees here."
Mallory said the crocheters were creative in making their squares. "We got all different designs. One even looks like an American flag."
Blair said the project was a way for the drivers to connect in the face of concerns that the district might hire a private company to provide transportation. The district needs to find between $14 million and $18 million in savings in next year's budget.
"This is something we thought we'd do together in case we are not together any more. It just took off from there," said Blair. "It was just an act of love, an act of mercy, and an act of loving your neighbor."
The project was so successful that the drivers are already planning another one.
"We said if this one took off we'd try breast cancer next," says Mallory. "So we will be doing breast cancer blankets with the ribbon in the design."
Pamela Gossiaux is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
beltanesisters
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 1:58 p.m.
People are the what makes a company or school system great. When employees are valued for their contribution, they have a connection and loyalty to their employer. Bus drivers have an incredible responsibilty on their shoulders and are sometimes the one constant a child sees every day. There are many ways a school district can save money but cutting costs on the backs of their employees is not one of them. And good for all of you for find common ground to unite and not divide!
Alejandra Vera
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 1:43 p.m.
Hi, I just suscribed to this web (sorry about my poor english) because this kind of groupwork moved me since almost 3 weeks ago. I am from Chile, Santiago (chileans capitol). On february 27th we had a terrible earthquake and severals tsunamis in a great part of our country (by Argentina, in South America). We are a very stable country, we have a solid democracy and were proud of our national and international exists. We are good people, we use to have beautiful country towns... they and our coast town doesnt exist anymore. Our churchs and historic patrimony are destroyed or in the ocean. Now autumm is comming, rains and low temperatures are threatening our children, old people and everyone. I thing that this a very good idea, what you do crocheting to ather people, warming them. Please, can you tell me how did you organize this team since the beginnig? How do you obtain the wool. Is it for free from sponsors? Anything you think it could be usefull to not weast time, I would thank from my heart. Please be free to write me to alevezan@gmail.com. Thank and a big hug, congratulations!! Alejandra
treegal
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 : 9:03 a.m.
As Andrew Thomas noted in his earlier comment, this story morphed into a debate about the proposed privatization of bus drivers. That said, my contribution to the debate is to remind school administrators that employees are the most important asset of any business. If a business must make cuts involving employees, the best thing for that business' future and the employees' morale is for the business to clearly communicate the reason for the cuts, and the cuts should impact all levels of the business. Applying those basic business principles to this privatization question, I think the school district has done a good job explaining the underlying reason for its proposal to privatize the bus drivers but I don't know if it has adequately spread the pain to all levels of the school district, particularly the administrative level.
jcj
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 3:19 p.m.
I have no doubt that the VAST majority of the bus drivers are caring individuals that do help the children. But don't make them all out to be heroes just because they are bus drivers. Would you be willing to make the same blanket statement about the teachers? the police? the garbage collector, every daycare worker? They are just people and I suspect if you knew the facts about them there are a few you would not want babysitting your children!
burkat
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 1:46 p.m.
This is another example of what caring people our bus drivers are. I have been in this district 40 years, worked in the district for 22, and despite all the crap the bus drivers have had to put up with over the years, they have always been there for our children. They are the first AAPS employee the kids see in the morning and the last one they see at the end of their school day. They are caring, nurturing and friends to our children. They listen when the kids need to talk. Their making blankets for hospice is not the first thing they have done for others. They should be commended and recognized for doing this. Reread Dr. Emsayin's comments - right on the mark. They have my support. Privatizing bus drivers and custodians is a grave mistake. They may not teach our children in the classrooms but in their own way they do teach our children other very important lessons in life, some that are missing in some of the kids home lives.
Andrew Thomas
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 11:40 a.m.
Funny how a "warm and fuzzy" (literally) story has morphed into a shouting match between pro- and anti-privatization advocates.
Marjorie Winkelman Lesko
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 11:39 a.m.
What a beautiful project and beautiful pictures! Thank you crochet artists for sharing your talents and time!
madjo99
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 10:54 a.m.
@ stunhsif, I think it is time somebody sets you straight on what you think you know. As a busdriver for Ann Arbor Public, we definitley do NOT have Cadillac benefits or Rolls Royce retirements. Some of us work 5 hours a day but are there for 12. Some of us pay an outrageous amount for our health insurance premiums. For example, one week off unpaid for mid-winter break (calendar set by teachers) (+) work the next week (-) insurance premiums and taxes =.12 check...not even worth the paper it is printed on. And as for retirement, the schools don't start contributing until after 10 yrs and it isn't much. That is why so many of us have second and sometimes third jobs to help pay the bills. Some drivers don't take the insurance because the can't afford it or they take their spouse's insurance. Our benefits are not like the teachers or administration, we are just at the bottom of the pole. We are not trying to make the public feel bad or sorry for us! We just wanted to do something nice for the community and we have done other things before these harsh economic times, like make blankets & hats for premature babies @ Motts Childrens Hospital. We have come together as a group to do something nice for the community and you make it sound like we are the bad guys. I enjoy my job and the people I work with and the so called "Cadillac benefits and Rolls Royce retirement." What you think we get is not what the big boys get. Hopefully I have set you straight on that. And as for the blankets, good job all and hope people at Arbor Hospice find comfort in those blankets.
jcj
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 10:41 a.m.
I applaud the efforts of this group in this endeavor. It has been said that we will have a revolving door of bus drivers. This may or may not be true. Can anyone tell us on average how many years the current bus drivers have been on the job? Most of us that lived in the country have found memories of at least one of our drivers. But on a lot of fall mornings I have occasion to see 3-4 buses go by. And most of the time they will have 2-3 kids on them. And while I am sure that most of the drivers realize how much responsibility they have ( I don't know any reason that would change with privatization)I have seen on numerous occasions red lights run and taking corners like they were driving a race car. My point is that bus drivers are diverse just like the general populaces most of the time they do their jobs like everyone. We don't need to make them look like heroes or villains.
Pamela Gossiaux
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 9:20 a.m.
I was really touched by this story - the bus drivers are doing some beautiful work and taking time out of their day to help others. Obviously, the privatization is on everybody's minds, and it's a sensitive topic since it concerns our children so intimately. I still remember one bus driver I had for years and years when I went to school. She would drive down my private road on very cold and snowy days to deliver me closer to home and she would call my parents early in the mornings on snow days, to let us know ahead of time that school was closed.
Dr. I. Emsayin
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 9:01 a.m.
The Ann Arbor Schools' bus drivers have spent a lifetime caring for our children, saving kids from bullying, working with principals and parents to assure safe transport. Our disabled students have a great friend in the bus drivers. Going private means that these devoted, long time friends of the system will lose needed benefits. They have brought their children into our school system, increased revenue, and now some are willing to cast them out where they won't be able to have their children attend our schools and won't be able to afford to even continue working as a bus driver without the needed benefits. Custodians and bus drivers are our allies in education; let's keep them part of our public schools' community.
Lisa Starrfield
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 8:58 a.m.
Stunshlf, It is NOT a winwin. It is a lose lose. It is a loss for the bus drivers, the private companies profits will be coming from their paychecks, their futures. It is a loss for our kids who will have a revolving door of busdrivers. Those of you who believe in that private is divine and government is filth are starving this country. We have to invest in America or watch it die.
stunhsif
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 8:31 a.m.
Yes, if it saves money, busing should be privatized. If you are good at what you do, you have nothing to worry about. The blanket project is a nice thing but the only reason it was done was for free publicity and an attempt to make the public feel bad. Again, there is nothing to feel bad about. This is a win for everyone, busing costs will dramatically drop, you bus drivers keep your jobs ( maybe without some of the Cadillac benies).
amazonwarrior
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 8:12 a.m.
This is truly a heart warming story, especially in these difficult economic times. What a wonderful, caring group of people! But I think school bus drivers are special people any way! Six years ago I received a healing shawl after breast cancer surgery, and was deeply touched by the "kindness of strangers". I was so moved by the gift, that I decided to "pay it forward" and I have since made over 150 shawls for other breast cancer survivors and have had the privilege of meeting some of the brave women who have battled the disease. I am postive that the recipients and their family members are deeply moved by your beautiful gifts from the heart! Pamela - thank you for sharing this story, it's one of the reasons I love Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti because of the wonderful people who live here.
jns131
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 7:52 a.m.
Again, I say, you want to privatize unity? Yes, of course we may be divided in some ways and yes, in the lounge as well. But you have to realize that when we are out there dropping or picking up children we are united to making sure the children get to school on time. Would a privatized driver stop to help another driver look for a child who was put on a wrong bus? Then to go out of their way to get the child home? Probably not. But because we work as a team, we all come together to make sure that child is found and driven home to an anxious parent. With the response of, we probably won't be together after this year? Is correct. If you privatize us? We all will be laid off with the discretion of being rehired AT WILL by the private company who does not have rehire any of the great people who work here. In a way I am sorry to see the almighty dollar win out to great people who honestly love the job and the children. I honestly don't see a private driving doing this. Great job everyone!