By Aneeka Simonis
AFTER 30 years as Lang Lang Primary School’s lollypop lady, Marie Taylor has seen generations of family at the crossing.
Today’s parents were yesterday’s students – and Marie has seen and helped them all.
“It’s scary to think the kids that are crossing now are kids of the mums and dads I used to help over,” she said.
Marie took up the daily post in 1987 when her oldest child, Kelly, was at Lang Lang Primary School.
But now it’s all come to an end.
Marie will ferry children across the road for the last time on Tuesday 20 December.
But it’s pretty safe to say it won’t be the last students and their families will see of Marie.
They all know her by name, and she vows to stick around town to continue watching the tight-knit community grow.
“It’s been such a good job,” she said.
The school celebrated Marie and her milestone contribution at a ceremony on Friday 16 December.
She has worked rain, hail or shine Monday to Friday each day for the past 30 years, equivalent to about 15 volunteer hours each fortnight.
“I’ve got a daggy old raincoat for when it rains,” Marie said.
Marie will be retiring from the role to travel with her husband Bob and care for her five grandchildren.
She also hopes to take up some IT courses.
She wanted to say a special thank-you to the school for the years, and to her husband Bob for dobbing her in to the press.
