It's a rare phenomenon to see a homeless and disabled man who lives in truck manage to make ends meet through a commitment to public service.
Robert Bernard does just that from early in the morning to late each night, cleaning up public parks in the city of San Bernardino. I met Robert one morning as I was sitting on a park bench, watching my dog fertilize the soil in the park.
At first, I thought Bernard was a standard city park employee. I learned differently when he came over to clean up the area around the park bench. We greeted one another and began talking. I asked him how he liked working at the park.
"I do not work for the city parks department," Bernard said. "I just enjoy myself at the park by helping to keep it clean."
I was stunned at his response. Economic times are tough, and public service and volunteer workers are rare these days, when so many people are more concerned with finding ways to make a living.
As we talked, Bernard said that he keeps the cans that he finds in the park trash receptacles, providing himself some income from recycling. But as I watched him carefully, I noticed that, indeed, he was also picking up trash, fallen leaves from trees and other debris.
Bernard told me that he began his quest to keep city parks clean after complaining about their messy state to the city's Parks and Recreation Department. He says that he was told that the city parks budget did not include funds to hire additional maintenance workers
The Parks and Recreation Department's director asked him: "What do you expect me to do. We only have six people to maintain 21 parks."
Bernard responded by volunteering to work seven days a week to help keep the parks clean.
"I'm considered a volunteer citizen public servant by San Bernardino city and park officials," he told me. "I help keep the parks clean and do what I can."
The parks department provides him with pick-up tools and trash bags — and sometimes a maintenance crew will help him clean certain areas in the parks that are particularly dirty after holidays and special occasions.
"I am inspired to clean," Bernard said. "When I walk through the parks, I pick up condoms, syringes, and debris left by people who hang out in the park and sometimes sleep overnight."
Not everyone appreciates his gift to the public.
"It is not easy to do the work of cleaning the park," Bernard said. "There are people who harass me when I come around to pick up their trash and cans, but I just do what I can."
Bernard told me that he is 47 years old, has had two marriages, and has a brother and sister who are disabled. He says he served 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, and previously owned a property maintenance and lawn service. He says he now survives on those dry soups that become broth when you add hot water. Every third Saturday of the month he receives food from a public agency.
"Since I don't have a place to live besides my truck, I barbecue the food I receive from the agency," he says.
Bernard says he know the mayor of San Bernardino, but doesn't "have the money to pay for lunch during a two-hour meeting."
So what would he tell the mayor if they did sit down for lunch.
"What elected officials have to realize is that citizens are the customers, and it is [the responsibility of elected officials] to do what they can to cut back on spending," Bernard said. "At the same time, citizens have to be willing to volunteer and do what they can to keep city parks clean."
Bernard has fulfilled his end of the bargain.
Ronald Ellerbe is editor of Hub City News and columnist for LA Beez.
Photo by Ronald Ellerbe
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