For “Senior Beach Bum,” Good Deed was All in a Day’s Work

George Greider walks the beach near his Boynton Beach, Florida, home for an hour every morning — he power-walks a half-hour out, until the sun rises, and then he turns around and heads back home.

Greider’s walks aren’t just for exercise, though; while that’s a critical part of his day; they serve another purpose as well.

“I carry a bag with me every morning and look for plastic and other trash so I can throw it away; I enjoy doing my part to help keep these beautiful beaches clean,” Greider, 70, said. “That particular morning, it was very easy to spot a driver’s license. I picked it up and the first thing I thought was, ‘Oh, I hope this woman is OK.'”

Greider headed home in a hurry, then turned on his computer and searched for Candice’s name on Google. To his relief, he learned that she seemed to be alive and well, so he jotted a quick note, slipped the license into an envelope, and sent it on its way.

“I envisioned that she would be pretty upset upon finding her license missing, especially if she had to get on a plane,” Greider said. “I wish I could have found her sooner and saved her that headache.”

Greider said he doesn’t look upon his actions as a good deed, but as something that was “all in a day’s work” for an active retiree who cares about his environment and the people who populate it.

“I just did what anyone would do,” he said. “But it’s great knowing that she is appreciative; helping each other when we can is what being human is all about.”

<< Back to News