Hillside Dairy to discontinue service after relaunching home delivery amid the COVID-19 pandemic

MILKMAN...YES...THEY STILLHAVE THOSE...."BRAD THEMILKMAN" STEPPEDOUT OFRETIREMENT...ANDTEAMED UP WITHOTHER LOCALBUSINESSES..

WHENTHE PANDEMIC HIT...TO DELIVER ALLKINDS OF FRESHSUPPLIES TOPEOPLETHROUGHOUT ERICOUNTY.TODAY..

BRAD MADEHIS FINAL ROUNDS...7 EYEWITNESS NEWREPORTER JEDDYJOHNSON TAKES USALONG FOR THERIDE.A YEAR AGOTODAY.

BRADLEYHELLERT OF AKRONDECIDED TO CRANKUP HIS 20 YEAR OLDMILK TRUCK AND HITTHE ROAD AGAIN."COVID CAME ABOUTAND I KEPT GETTINGINQUIRIES TO SEE IFHOME DELIVERIESWERE STILLAVAILABLE AND THENFINALLY I LOOKED ATMY WIFE AND SAIDTHERE'S A LOT OFPEOPLE WHO STILLNEED HELP RIGHTNOW.

I CAN STILL DOSOMETHING TO PUTTHINGS TOGETHERTO MAKE THIS WORKSO I SAID LETSRESTART THIS ANDSEE WHAT HAPPEN."THE SIMPLEANSWER.MAYHEM.THROUGHOUT HISFIRST THREE DAYSOF WORK..

HELLERTSAID HE COMPLETEDOVER 1000 ORDERS."IT WAS LIKE THEDOWJONES WITH400, 500, 600CUSTOMERS.."BUT AS FEAR OF THECOVID-19 BEGAN TODWINDLE ANDVACCINES BEGAN TOROLL OUT.

HELLERTNOTICED LESSPEOPLE USING HISSERVICES."MORE AND MOREPEOPLE HAVE GONEBACK TO USING THEGROCERY STOREDELIVERY SERVICEOR THE PICK UPS ATTHE BIG BOXSTORES ORVENTURING OUTTHEMSELVES NOWTO THE STORE."SO HELLERTTHOUGHT IT ONCEAGAIN..

TIME TOGIVE HIS OLD MILKTRUCK A LITTLEREST."WE DID OUR PARTAND WE'RE PROUDOF WHAT WE DID."APRIL 16TH WILLMARK HELLERT'SLAST DAY ON THEJOB."I WILL STILL BEBUSY BUT NOT UP AT4 O'CLOCK IN THEMORNINGANYMORE,"AND CUSTOMERSLIKE CAROLZANELOTTI OFHAMBURG SAY HISSERVICES WILL BEMISSED."IT HAS BEEN A GODSEND LIKE YOUWOULDN'T BELIEVEBECAUSE WE HAVEREALLY ADHERED TOTHE RULES FOR THECOVID-19 THING"HELLERT SAYS HEHAS RECEIVEDMULTIPLEMESSAGES FROMCUSTOMERS ANDSUPPORTERSWISHING HIM AHAPPY SECONDRETIREMENT"WE WERE JUSTTHANKFUL THAT WECOULD PROVIDE ASERVICE TO HELPTHOSE WHO WEREIN NEED.

THAT WASTHE OBJECTIVEWHEN WE SET OUTTO DO THIS.

ANDKNOWING THAT WEMADE A DIFFERENCEIN SO MANYPEOPLE'S LIVES ITHINK IS THEMEMORY THAT I WILLTAKE WITH ME FROMIT."AND FROM US AT 7EYEWITNESS NEWSAND CAROL INHAMBURG"HAVE AWONDERFULSECONDRETIREMENT"IN HAMBURGJJ7E