JERSEY SHORE -- A rather unique-looking crossing guard greets kids each day in Lycoming County. His name is Patches, and he tags along with his owner to make sure children make it to school safely.
Traffic passes by until Brad Curtis holds up a stop sign. It's the first week back to school for students in Jersey Shore Area School District. Curtis is back at his post along Allegheny Street in Jersey Shore.
"Everybody is settling into the routine, I think," said Brad Curtis.
For the past two years, the retired contractor spent his mornings helping kids cross this busy intersection.
"The kids make you feel young and happy. Make you smile."
It’s the crossing guard's four-legged friend who really has people smiling.
"Well, it's a cute dog with that little stop sign on it, and it looks really, really cute, and it also looks like a poodle," said Landon Mincer, a fourth grader from Jersey Shore.
"He's just like a mascot to Jersey Shore, other than the bulldog, of course," said Rosie Weymouth.
Meet Patches. He's a lovable, 5-year-old Malti-Poo who follows Curtis wherever he goes.
"He waits right on the curb until I take the step off and then he goes," said Curtis.
"I've never seen any problems, very well trained," said Weymouth.
Curtis is required to wear a safety vest on the job. He tells us it was only appropriate that his pup wore one, too.
"One of the kids suggested that he should also have a vest and a stop sign. His grandma Patricia whipped that up for him," said Curtis.
"He didn't wear it at first, but then I was like, 'oh, my word, look at that outfit!' That's what kills everybody I think, yeah definitely into it more," said Weymouth.
Rosie Weymouth has a great view of the crossing guard duo from the window of her hair salon.
"They love him stop pet him. Yeah, Patches is loved," said Weymouth.
Curtis says he'll bring Patches along with him to work until the winter weather hits.
