AUBURN - Despite the absence of a traffic light and the heavy flow of vehicles, Donna Stenard walked out into the middle of the road and bravely held up her stop sign. A horn honked and drivers rolled their eyes, but Stenard stood her ground.

"You can go," she said as she pointed to a group of students standing on the corner of Seymour and Franklin streets.

Every morning and every afternoon for the last seven years, Stenard deals with the angry motorists and challenging temperatures to help children cross busy streets. She is a crossing guard for the city of Auburn, a job that has its share of occupational hazards and is often a hard position for officials to fill.

Situated at the next corner over, Cindy Seamans guards her post on Grant Avenue. The students that pass her every day call her Ms. Crossing Guard.

While Seamans is lucky enough to have a stoplight at her post, three years ago another crossing guard was hit by a car while working on that corner.

"It's a tough job," Auburn traffic officer Tom Weed said. "Especially in the winter when it is cold and the roads are icy, and they are not qualified to do traffic, which a lot of people forget."

There are 26 crossing guards scattered throughout Auburn, and every day they make sure children of all ages get to and from school safely. But if a guard is sick or away on vacation, it is up to the police department to fill the position.

"Not having enough guards to cover means that is one officer that has to be taken away from whatever else he is supposed to be doing," Weed said.

Other school districts find the demands of the job keep the interest low.

"It is a hard position to fill," Weedsport clerk/treasurer Sandra Kreplin said.

"It is hard to find people because they have to work a split schedule and it cuts into their day. When we find someone, we try to keep them for a while."

Weedsport only has one guard, Judy LaForce, who has been working for the district since 1989. Kreplin cannot remember LaForce missing more then two days of work during that time. On the rare days that she is out, someone from the public works department has to come out and help local children cross East Brutus Street.

"Parents need to feel confident that their children get to school safely," Kreplin said. "So there has to be someone out there all the time to make sure the kids can cross the street safely."

Stenard and Seamans need to be ready at a moment's notice to report to their corners, especially during the winter months when there could be an early closing. But they are proud of what they do, and Stenard thinks it is about more than just helping students get across the street.

"We are like the eyes of the community," Stenard said. "We see everything that is going on and we make sure it is not anything bad."

There are some days when Seamans has to shovel her own sidewalk to make sure the surface is safe for children walking by.

"Along with my sneaker boots and hat with flaps, I keep a snow shovel in my car," Seamans said. "Sometimes the boy down the road will come and shovel for me or people in the area let me stand on their porches, but we have got to keep the sidewalks clear for the children."

Regardless of weather conditions or angry drivers, as long as school is in session, crossing guards are expected to be at their corners waiting for students. It is not a job for everyone, but Stenard, Seamans and LaForce know it's the perfect job for them.

"This job is a good fit for me," Stenard said. "And they really need me out here. Cars drive so fast up and down these roads, it is a really dangerous intersection. Plus, the little ones really rely on all of us."

Staff writer Ashley Lipsky can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 230

or e-mail ashley.lipsky@lee.net