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“When they asked me, I only planned to do it for a short time,” says Ian Hook, who has now been a school crossing supervisor for 21 years.
In July, Ian, a long-time resident of Manningham, was honoured with Victoria’s School Crossing Supervisor of the Year Award during an awards ceremony. Ian treasures his role as a lollipop man because it keeps him connected to the Warrandyte community, where he has lived his entire life. His favourite part of the job is “helping the kids, and the parents too.”
For 19 years, Ian worked at the crossing near Warrandyte High School, and since last October, he has been stationed on Yarra Street. An early riser (typically around 6 am), Ian is well-suited to the job, and it helps that he lives just a few houses away from his current crossing. He enjoys both sunny and rainy days, though the wind can drive him “nuts”.
During the day, Ian has plenty of time to himself before returning to his post for the school’s afternoon dismissal. He often meets his sister for coffee, bakes cakes for the Warrandyte Football Club, and enjoys circuit boat racing in the summer.
When asked if there were any other jobs he’d like to try, Ian quickly replied, “chef”, adding that he loves to cook chicken satay.
In addition to his role as a crossing supervisor, Ian has been a dedicated member of the Warrandyte Football Club for 60 years. He serves as an Umpire’s Escort and takes care of the footballs during the offseason.
