Many children are fond of trucks, and watching the garbage trucks on trash day can be an exciting event for the little one.
But for 4-year-old Louisiana girl Margie, watching the garbage trucks became something much more. She reached out and made a heartwarming friendship with the sanitation workers, and in return, when her recent birthday party was canceled due to the pandemic, the garbagemen arranged a parade of trucks in her honor.
Virginia shared that one morning, Margie wasn’t feeling well, and she begged her mom to take her outside to see the trucks.
The loving mom readily complied, but she never expected what would happen next.
“When they came by our house, they waved and honked their horns,” she said. “She was overjoyed. I wrote the company on Facebook to tell them, ‘Thank you for making her day, and for always being so kind.’”
From there, Margie’s friendship with the drivers only grew.
The drivers began waiting to say hello when they drove past Margie’s house, even if she wasn’t outside yet.
Then, one day, the garbage and recycling company Coastal Environmental Services (CES) invited Margie to visit their headquarters.
“We met the employees and she was able to meet her FAVORITE driver, Mr. Bird,” Virginia said. “She was given her own Coastal Environmental Services safety vest, hat, custom shirt, and other items with their logo. She keeps everything next to her three garbage trucks in her room.”
As if that weren’t enough to make a mom melt, the truck drivers even took time out of their day to visit Margie’s birthday party last spring.
“Her birthday in April was themed around CES,” Virginia said. “[But] sadly, we didn’t have a birthday party because of COVID.”
However, when CES heard that her party had been cancelled, the general manager, Jack Francioni, called Virginia and said they would throw her a parade.
“There were about 4 trucks, not including their white trucks, who came to give her a birthday parade,” Virginia said. “When she saw those trucks coming down the street you could see the excitement on her face. She said, ‘It’s the garbage men!!!’ when she ran to see who was coming around the corner. Her friends were giving her a birthday celebration we weren’t able to give her at the time.”
It’s a friendship Virginia says we can all learn from.
“This unique friendship has taught me a lot about my four-year-old,” she said. “We can learn a lot from children when we pay attention. Love, compassion, acceptance, and true friendship are just a few.”
