Lugging newspapers around isn’t for the faint of heart.
It’s a tough job with a deadline. It requires commitment, patience and sometimes, a little ingenuity.
Bennett Goertzen has been a newspaper carrier for The Abbotsford News for three years now, and has put all those traits to use. When he was asked in school to identify a problem in his everyday life, and find a solution, he knew that delivering newspapers was fraught with problems.
And he was ready to solve them.
Goertzen has a few routes, so he has to gather up and deliver a heck of a lot of newspapers from his drop boxes. He and his family have tried different types of carriers, like a stroller and a wagon. But the load has always proven too large or too heavy.
“There’s got to be a way to make this easier,” he told himself.
Like most carriers, his route is supported by others in the house. He and his mom created a few different prototypes together for the school challenge, but nothing really worked.
One of the biggest obstacles carriers face is finding a way to keep the newspapers dry in this wet climate, between the drop box and your mailbox. And on a windy day, that obstacle becomes a full-blown challenge.
It turns out that the Goertzen’s neighbour is a carpenter who was happy to help out.
Together they created the ‘Newser Cruiser.’
He was able to help create a rolling cabinet that keeps the newspapers dry, and can be opened from the side and the top.
The newspapers stay dry inside, safe from the weather. The castor wheels are providing a smooth delivery system so far, although they admit they may need to upgrade those in the future.
Recently, Goetrzen’s school had an ‘Invention Convention’ where students had to show off their solutions to their problems, and he did well. As part of his project, he even asked for an Abbotsford News sticker to adorn the creation.
When the project was finished, his mom emailed off a photo to our regional circulation manager Cindy Bethueser. And when saw the photo of her carrier’s new system, she quickly sent him off a bigger sticker to really make it stand out.
“It’s really amazing,” Bethueser said, adding that she hopes it works out for him.
So, if you see Goertzen and his little sister with the Newser Cruiser, or any of our other carriers around the city, make sure to slow down and admire their hard work. Especially if it’s raining.
Do you have a good news story? Email us at newsroom@abbynews.com.
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