Virginia crossing guard celebrates 50 years of service in the same spot

(Image credit: iStock)

For five decades and through all kinds of weather, Janet Haines has been standing at the intersection of Broad and Spring Streets in Falls Church, Virginia, ready to help kids safely get to and from school.

Haines started her career as a crossing guard on March 29, 1967, and she has gotten to know generations of St. James Catholic School students. Last week, the 91-year-old was surprised when the school celebrated her milestone work anniversary with an assembly, cards, and gifts. Haines told The Huffington Post she enjoys the "pleasant work environment," and made no mention of retiring. Sister Mary Sue Carwile, the principal of St. James Catholic School, said Haines "always has a smile for everybody" and is a positive influence for her students. "I always call her our ambassador to the world of kindness and care," Carwile said.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.