Modern Day Heroes: Custodians

This year has been a trying time for us all in regards to everybody trying to stay healthy from COVID-19 while going through the daily tasks and responsibilities of their everyday lives. With everything going on in the world, today, we tend to forget to recognize those individuals who put themselves on the line of getting sick in order to keep us from getting sick. Many of these individuals are the custodians that we pass in the hallways of the dorms on campus on our way to class. These custodians are responsible for keeping the buildings that we stay in clean and sanitized. That means that they are the first line of defense against this everchanging pandemic.

Frankie Hussey, one of the custodians for Godare Hall from Vincennes, Indiana, has been a familiar face on campus for years.  

“I’ve only recently been working as a custodian for four months, but I worked as a custodian 22 years ago at this university for eight years,” Hussey mentioned, “Due to the pandemic, there has been a hiring freeze at the university, so I am working through a temp agency.”  

When asked about what her daily work schedule looked like, Hussey explained that it consists of cleaning the “girls dorm and lobbies of Godare Hall, including hallways, bathrooms, and emptying the trash.”

“Due to the pandemic, we as custodian staff have to make sure to keep common and most touchable areas disinfected and sanitized at all times,” Hussey mentioned. 

Another familiar Godare Hall custodian, John Holloway, from Bruceville, Indiana, commented that he has been working as a custodian for 17 years. He, too, explained that he has to make sure all areas of the dorm “have been disinfected” for him to “clean [the] front lobby and the staircases.”

“I take out the trash, clean [the] bathrooms, and then sweep and mop the hallways,” Holloway explained. 

Hussey explained that any new updates in protocol have been relayed to the staff by Vincennes University throughout the course of this pandemic. She has also been following up on any new updates from the governor over the course of this pandemic, as well. 

When asked about if they thought they were at more of a risk of catching COVID-19 in their line of work, they both relayed that they constantly wear their masks and clean and sanitize their hands while on and off the job.

“Overall, on a personal level and with underlying conditions, I myself take it seriously and try to keep safe,” Hussey said. 

“My own personal outlook on this [is that] my faith in Christ keeps me safe,” Holloway stated. 

Thank you to Hussey and Holloway and all of the custodians on and off campus for choosing to be the first line of defense in the fight against this pandemic. You are all truly our heroes.

The Trailblazer has realized that there are more than just one category of everyday heroes in the world today. Because of this, “Modern Day Heroes” will be a series of stories that features these everyday heroes.