No one expects to fall in love with their trash man. The dirty job isn’t sexy. It stinks sometimes. And, you never know what’s hiding under that bin. But in the village of Albers, residents can’t stop talking about Ira Campbell, a friendly sanitation worker who brings cheer to their community every week. “He is genuine,” Village President Stephen H. Schomaker said. “There’s nothing fake about him. He checks and does it best.”
Trash day is Tuesday in Albers. While hauling garbage away from Albers on Tuesday mornings, Campbell takes time to chat with residents, waves to children along his route and smiles at everyone he meets.
It’s hard not to love Campbell, Schomaker says. That’s why Albers residents will shower him with cards of thanks and a key to the village at their annual parade Monday.
Hundreds of notes, mostly from school children, are waiting for Campbell at Village Hall. One salute came from Avery Wuebbels, a fifth-grader at Albers Elementary School.
The 10-year-old and her younger sister, Adelyn, always run out to see him as his truck pulls up to their grandparents’ home. “Whenever he stops, he always says, ‘hello,’ ‘have a good day’ and ‘thank you,’” Avery said. “We always give him brownies and Gatorade. He’s just really nice.”
In the village with a population of 1,200, Campbell has a long list of admirers. Brenda Morris, the village clerk, said she takes a few calls each week from residents who want to share a sweet story about Ira.
From helping an Albers resident lift a sick dog out of a vehicle to carefully placing garbage bins away from the edge of the curb, Campbell goes the extra mile, Morris said.
His day starts at 3:15 a.m. every morning at his New Baden home. Christian radio is playing in his car as he heads to Marissa to pick up his truck. He starts his route in Albers at sunrise, greeting residents as they pick up their morning paper or head to work.
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