Profile of a School Crossing Guard: Len Caves

For the past 11 years, Len Caves has been a crossing guard at the corner of Sweetbrier Lane and Hastings Drive, across the street from Joe Henderson School.  He was a refinery worker at the Chevron refinery in Richmond for 40 years before that.

Caves enjoys everything about his work: the kids, the parents, staying busy.

The kids and the parents enjoy him, too.  "We'd be in trouble without him," said Renee Nelson, who has two children attending Henderson.  "We wouldn't be safe."

"You get to know the little kids," Caves said, a grandfatherly grin on his face.  "At Christmas, the kids make me gifts." (The SF Giants just gave this big fan another gift.)

His biggest concern and the thing he dislikes most is people who speed.  "They blast through here at 30 or 40 miles per hour sometimes," Caves said. "My main objective is to keep everybody safe at my station."

Caves considers himself a hands-on and happy crossing guard.  "It sure is enjoyable," he said.  "People are appreciative.  They always say 'Thank you.'  Every day."