Cleaning is more than an everyday chore.
According to the American Cleaning Institute, spot-free spaces protect us from and prevent the spread of illness and disease.
One Gabriel Homes resident goes the extra mile every day to keep her workplace in safe, healthy, and tip-top shape. Lucy works in cleaning for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and has been there for 15 years.
Like many, Lucy works Monday to Friday.
She takes the local bus to get to and from the office, but when the weather is nice, she’s close enough that she can walk. At work, Lucy clocks in and out of her shifts and partners with a team of cleaners for their assigned areas of the day.
“Lucy is a good teammate to have,” says Nicole, a teammate of Lucy’s for over four years. “We rotate who leads the team every shift, and Lucy is great at delegating where all of us should clean.”
Like her coworkers, Lucy has her routine down to a science. She folds her cloths into perfect squares before wiping surfaces. Windows, doorknobs, chairs, tables, and more get the right amount of cleaning spray so they’re squeaky clean. Lucy can tackle an entire cafeteria at a breakneck pace and is keen to wipe every nook and cranny.
Many shifts end with Lucy having walked about 8,000 steps.
The building may have eight stories and endless hallways, but no challenge is too daunting for her.
Still, Lucy challenges herself so she can keep growing at her job, guided by the support of her job coach, Kim Gladney. As the project manager at DC Goodwill, Kim also serves as Lucy’s mentor. He helps support a government program that provides adults with disabilities employment opportunities. One of Lucy’s greatest strengths as a teammate, according to Kim, is that she exceptionally manages her routines.
“There aren’t enough workers like Lucy,” Kim says. “Her work ethic and productivity are top-notch, and she’s great at following her schedule and going the extra mile.”