BLACKSBURG, Va. – Doug Mceldowney is 76 years old and has been a crossing guard in Blacksburg for nine years.
"A friend of mine that used to live across the street, he had been a crossing guard for many, many years. He said, 'Doug, you ought to go try it because I thin you'll like it.' He was right. I've really enjoyed it," Mceldowney said.
School starts next week in Blacksburg and two crossing guards are still needed.
"It's a lot of fun because you get to meet the parents, you get to meet the kids, you watch them grow up. You hate to see them go to middle school, but then a whole new batch comes in. It's just a fun job and it's a reason to get up in the morning. It's not like it blows your whole day," Mceldowney said.
In Blacksburg, crossing guards work for about an hour and a half in the morning and an hour and a half in the afternoon.
Police Lt. John Goad said school resource officers will serve as crossing guards until more are hired.
"Their morning meetings or their DARE program schedules that they've got to keep could conflict with it so they'll have some scheduling issues as far as not being able to be at certain meetings or certain classes. They'll have to schedule around doing the crossing guard posts," Goad explained.
It's a similar issue for others in the area.
In Danville, three crossing guards are still needed and students have already gone back to school.
However, Martinsville has all its positions filled.
With about two weeks until Roanoke City starts, the spokesperson told 10 News Friday they didn't know if they still needed any.
Goad is hopeful the two positions in Blacksburg will be filled soon.
To apply for the positions in Blacksburg, click here.
To apply for the positions in Danville, click here.