July 8, 2021
We would like to introduce you to Wilbert Johnson – the Superman here at Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired. Wilbert, also known as Leroy around Clovernook Center, is a Custodian for the facility and is responsible for making sure all the buildings and grounds are safe and clean. As you can imagine, throughout the pandemic, this was quite an undertaking. He canvassed the entire campus several times a day, wiping down all surfaces in public areas – this included every doorknob and every handle, especially in the restrooms, etc. The Clovernook Center campus is more than 86,100 square feet, and he traveled it at least three times each day. Wilbert wasn’t counting, but we’re sure he got more than his fair share of daily steps in.
In addition to canvassing the campus daily, Wilbert reported to work while many of us were working remotely during the pandemic. He worked with the maintenance team to complete projects that were not always easy to do while the building was full, like polishing floors and repainting common areas.
Wilbert has been on the Clovernook Center team for six years and says what he likes most about working at Clovernook is the family feel. “What you don’t see, won’t hurt you” is a lesson that Wilbert learned quickly at Clovernook Center. He immediately felt like his coworkers are family and no one cares about the color of his skin here. When asked what his favorite part of his job is he said with a big smile, “Just coming in every day and being here with all the people.”
Wilbert has been married for 38 years, has nine children and 45 grandchildren ranging from 2 to 17 years old. He loves cooking for his entire family including on holidays. Wilbert’s favorite things to cook are greens and meats. It has become a family tradition to come over to grandpa’s house and help prepare the green beans. They sit with him, breaking and stringing the green beans, which is very nostalgic since he can remember doing the same thing with his grandmother who raised him. It was his grandmother who taught him how to cook and how to make wonderful memories while feeding the entire family.
If Wilbert isn’t in the kitchen with his grandkids, you can find him riding bikes through the park or in the yard or playing in the sprinkler. It is Wilbert’s greatest pleasure spending time with his family and playing with his grandkids! Sometimes you might not see Wilbert but you can hear him. He loves music and at times you can tell he is around because you can hear his music playing while he is happily buzzing around the campus making sure everything is clean and safe.
We at Clovernook Center are so grateful to work with Wilbert – he always has a smile on his face and always goes above and beyond for his teammates. Thank you Wilbert for making us all appreciate the beautiful things in life and for being part of our Clovernook family! You are truly our SUPERMAN!
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