By JESSE GRAHAM
IT WAS a birthday to remember for Healesville Primary School crossing supervisor, Sharon Stephens, who celebrated her 60th birthday with every school student bursting into song.
When Ms Stephens arrived at work on Friday, 30 October, she was greeted by banners reading “Happy 60th Birthday”, complete with balloons hung from the gates at the school on View Street.
“I got the shock of my life when I came out here this morning,” she said.
As students were dropped off at school and walked across the crossing, many greeted her with birthday wishes – and some were shouted from the school buses as they passed.
One student, along with her mother, handed Ms Stephens some roses, tied together with ribbons.
But the real surprise came at 8.52am, when the school bell went and children started pouring out of the gate in their dozens, flooding into the area behind the crossing.
Once every student in the school was gathered behind her, they broke into two choruses of Happy Birthday, cheering at the end of each.
Ms Stephens said that she had been volunteering at the school for 32 years, with 20 of those years spent on the crossing.
Her other years involved helping out with reading, swimming, office work or in the kitchen.
She said former students she had worked with had come back to the school with their own children, and that she’s often recognised down the street – though some students referred to her as “Lolli” for Lollipop Lady.
“Even in the supermarket, everywhere I go, it’s ‘Hi, Lolli!’,” she said.
Ms Stephens said she would continue to volunteer at the school, and said the children’s friendly faces were the best part of the job.
“I love it. I absolutely love it – the kids, they keep me young,” she said.
