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Brave crossing guards brave the heat, rain, cold and angry drivers every morning and afternoon. 

They are the ones that keep the traffic going and keep everyone the roads safe. 

On Friday morning, the LaGrange Police Department and Troup County School System honored three crossing guards for their decades of service to the city. 

“They serve our schools and I certainly appreciate everything they do,” said TCSS superintendent Dr. Brian Shumate. “They get parents in and out every day, and busses out safely.” 

Shumate said it’s the crossing guards that help everyone in the school get started on the right foot every morning. 

Sharon Brown, Sharon Davenport and Duckquil Thornton are three unsung heroes that face the task of being a crossing guard every day. 

“Those three ladies have been with us since I was in high school,” said LPD Sgt. Marshall McCoy. “They are very dedicated and work in all types of conditions. I’d say the majority of the motorist enjoy them but there’s always those few that are having a bad day. They don’t just catch the weather but people that are having a bad day. People will call them names and use profanity towards them.” 

McCoy said through it all Brown, Davenport and Thornton have stayed steadfast with their jobs as crossing guards. 

“These three ladies have been just extremely dedicated over the years and they do a great job,” McCoy said.  “They manage traffic and do it so good. This job comes with sacrifice and they don’t get recognized enough. It’s easy to sometimes overlook people but just imagine if they weren’t out there every day.”

Because the school is able to utilize crossing guards, LaGrange police officers don’t have to pause their emergency calls to direct traffic. 

“They’re certainly an asset to the district, the city of LaGrange and to the community,” Shumate said. 

“It’s not easy to be out in the middle of the road with a stop sign in one hand and directing traffic with the other. I’ve been around with schools for a long time and the crossing guards are unsung heroes to what we do so today we were able to stop and take a moment and honor them.” 

McCoy said they are looking to hire more crossing guards and to contact the city of LaGrange for more information.