Doggone Friendly

IF YOU HAVE ever dropped off your recycling or yard waste at the Spring Lake Reclamation Center, chances are you have been greeted by Jim Easley—and so has your dog. For the past four years, Easley has been a friendly face at the center, bringing smiles to residents and wagging tails to their four-legged companions who come along for the ride.

He has worked for the Department of Public Works for 17 years, but it’s working as a Senior Recycling Technician at the Reclamation Center where he’s truly become a local fixture. Known for his easygoing nature and genuine love of animals, Easley has turned ordinary drop-offs into joyful moments.

A REAL TREAT

It’s not just people who look forward to seeing Easley. The dogs know exactly where they are the moment they pull into the Reclamation Center. Tails start wagging and noses press to car windows as they spot him with biscuits in hand and a smile on his face.

“I noticed that the dogs would be happy coming, and I wanted to give them treats,” Easley says. “I love all the dogs.”

The treats are provided by local resident Margie Brahn and her German shepherd, Lola, who happily keep Easley stocked with biscuits for all his furry visitors.

“Lola looks forward to seeing Jim,” says Margie’s husband, Don Brahn. “She gets really excited and wags her tail as we are pulling up to the Reclamation Center.”

Easley even keeps a photo album on his phone filled with pictures of the dogs he’s met over the years, from large Labradors to tiny terriers, each one a familiar friend (a sampling of his snapshots are featured here). To many residents, it’s this small but heartfelt gesture that captures what makes Spring Lake so special. In this community, kindness is second nature, and even a trip to the Reclamation Center can brighten your day.

BY DANIELLE KUTCHER