Several hundred households use the transfer station for its array of services, and every one of them, and their pups, are greeted with a smile from Robert.
Robert calls the Swap Shop the Windsor Mall.
Robert worked for the Adams DPW for years.
Larry Robert is popular among resident humans and dogs.
WINDSOR, Mass.—Transfer Station Attendant Larry Robert was selected as the February Community Hero of the Month.
The Community Hero of the Month is a 12-month series that honors individuals and organizations that have significantly impacted their community. This year's sponsor is Window World of Western Massachusetts. Nominate a hero here.
Several hundred households use the transfer station for its array of services, and every one of them, and their pups is greeted with a smile from Robert.
Several community members highlighted how Robert creates a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
Even the dogs get excited as their owners' pull into the transfer station, because they know they will get to see Robert and get a treat.
Resident Leslee Brennan brought her two dogs to the station, explaining that her large dog, Blue, is not good with most people but loves Robert.
"We're all like one big family up here," Robert said.
Robert said he loves his job because he gets to connect with people and see all the dogs that come through the station.
The transfer station is part of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District (NBSWMD), which allows small municipalities in the county to pool resources for professional waste management services.
Doug McNally, NBSWMD Windsor representative, said Robert is a valued employee with incredible personal skills.
"One of the things that residents love the best is that if they pull into the transfer station and they have their favorite pet dog in the car, Larry always gives the dogs a dog biscuit. So he's beloved by not only the residents but by their pets," McNally said.
For a small community, a transfer station is sometimes the only place people can interact with their neighbors and meet other people, said Linda Cernik, NBSWMD program coordinator.
"Larry, of course, is the face and the smile and just brightens up everyone's day," she said.
This is not the only time Robert has been recognized for his contribution to the community he serves.
In 2017, Adams acknowledged his almost four decades of work by renaming the road going into the Department of Public Works facility to Robert Drive. More information here.
Recycling certain items, such as electronics, tires, and mattresses, can be difficult. However, the 14 towns in the district offer facilities for residents to recycle these items.
"I would say that Larry is definitely a Community Hero, considering he has to sit here in the tough winters and the hot summers, and he does a great job at what he does," resident Christopher Cannon said.
Members of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District can use its shared recycling services for food waste composting, universal waste collection, tire recycling, mattress recycling, and Swap Shops. More information here.
Additionally, they are welcome to attend yearly special events, including paper shredding, hazardous waste days, and bulky waste and electronics collection events.
Resident Mark Kelso said he recently moved to Windsor after living in Richmond for 30 years and didn’t know what to do with certain things like fluorescent light bulbs.
"A lot of places were charging an arm and a leg just to take them because of the mercury in them," he said.
After he moved, he learned that Windsor takes those materials, currently at no additional cost for the residents.
"I've been really amazed at not only the ecological ramifications having a place to put all this stuff, but this store here is fabulous," Kelso said, underlining the Swap Shop that Robert had named Windsor Mall.
"I have a hard time just throwing something away, but when I know that somebody else can use it and I can pick it up, that's really great."
The Windsor Transfer Station has recycling services for food waste, universal waste like light bulbs and batteries, tires, scrap metal, white goods like refrigerators and air conditioners, scrap metal, and paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastic.
In 2024, the station diverted 128 tons of municipal solid waste, 30 tons of paper and cardboard, and 22 tons of paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastic.
A new program that the station implemented is its food waste program, which started six months ago and is growing as people get used to it, McNally said.
Food waste is the heaviest part of municipal solid waste, Cernik said.
The municipal solid waste master plan aims to decrease waste by 90 percent, reducing it to 570,000 tons by the year 2050.
Among the state’s recommended strategies to achieve this is "lowering the threshold on commercial organic/food waste to facilities generating more than one-half ton of these materials per week," the state website says.
Transfer station attendants often go unnoticed despite all of the responsibilities they have, including adhering to strict compliance and regulations, Cernik said.
"He helps out whenever we need him. For a transfer station, it's clean. It's a garbage dump, and he keeps it clean. There's no trash laying around. Everything's sorted where it's supposed to go. He does his job. He's a great guy. We couldn't do it without him, " said resident Chuck Turner.
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