Hopewell mom dresses in costume during last month of school to countdown to summer
HOPEWELL TWP. — Riding the school bus just got a little more exciting thanks to a local mom and bus driver.
Erin Mulder of Hopewell Township dresses in costume every weekday during the last month of school. For the last two years, she's dressed up as a different character, holding a sign with a countdown to summer break. As her 9-year-old son Gabriel Stumpf's bus swings by the house, Mulder waves to the children in costume, which usually results in a roar of laughter and smiles from the kiddos inside.
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She got the idea from bus driver Rose George, who wears funky hats as she drives the youngsters to school. George likes to keep her bus fun, with Furry Friend Fridays, where youngsters can bring their favorite small stuffed animal aboard the bus. She offers books on her bus, too, so the children can read during the drive to school.
George thought it would be fun to make the final month of school extra memorable. She chatted with Mulder about it one day to see if she'd be interested.
"I said, 'Erin, why don't I give you my things,'" George said. "I can wear a hat, but I can't be a dinosaur. There are some things I can't do because I have to drive."
Mulder jumped at the opportunity.
"I'm anything from a shark to a dinosaur to a unicorn. I've gotten fruit (costumes) this year. I've been a banana, a strawberry and a carrot," Mulder said. "The kids love it."
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Each day, George puts the school bus windows down so the children can see Mulder's costume of the day, and many of the children cheer and wave. That includes Gabriel, who also loves his mom's costumes.
"It gives them something to look forward to at the beginning of the day," George said.
Before driving past Mulder's home, George asks the youngsters what they think Mulder will be dressed as that day. Sometimes, the kids aren't sure what the costume is — like a fortune teller, candy bandit or Gumby — and they work together to figure it out. Other times it's more obvious, like Captain Underpants, a strawberry or a unicorn.
"We love it and we look forward to it," George said. "You never know what she is going to come up with."
On Friday, the last day of school, Hopewell Elementary School is letting Mulder surprise the children by visiting the school all dressed up. Her costume is a surprise, she said.
"As a bus driver, you never know what route you'll end up with. I hope I have them again to see if she plans to take it on next year, too," George said. "Or, whoever does have the route, hopefully, they can take pictures for me."
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Check out all of Mulder's costumes by searching #Bus31CountdownMama on Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Hopewell Twp. mom dresses in costume to count down to summer
