Stan the Garbage Man has been helping keep Fishers beautiful by picking up garbage in Fishers since he moved here 17 years ago. Stanley Schenher is 71 years old and is originally from Churubusco, Indiana. He retired from UPS, and now spends his free time walking or riding in his golf cart picking up litter around Fishers.
Stan has been picking up trash for 45 years. It all started when he was in his 20’s in Northern Indiana, where there was a popular hangout that was littered with bottles and cans. The newspaper across the street happened to take a picture of him cleaning up the area, and ever since he has felt compelled to pick up garbage anytime he sees it to help better the community. “We want to take care of the planet and preserve nature,” he explained.
He used to mainly pick up trash when he went for a run, but after a hip replacement, he got the golf cart and switched to walking. In 2020, he counted the miles that he walked picking up trash and realized that he was walking more miles at 70 years old than he ran at 35. Stan looks at it as his form of exercise and community service all in one, and the city has even given him a permit for his golf cart.
When it comes to sustainability Stan offered some recommendations. “Bag your trash. Don’t throw it in the trash can without a trash bag because on a windy day it blows out. Also, don’t throw things out of your car. Take care of the area and recycle. It’s amazing how many full bottles of water or soda I find,” he said.
Stan is an active participant in the city’s Adopt-a-Road program, and the first official road he adopted through the city was 106th Street in 2005, but he has always picked up trash, whether officially or unofficially. His current official stretch of roads that he takes care of is 8 miles long, although he typically goes beyond that. The amount of garbage he picks up varies each day, but can be anywhere from 3 to5 lbs. to over 100 lbs.
Check out his list of his current adopted roads and the number of pickups he has done on each:
- 106th Street 14 pickups
- 116 Street 26 pickups
- Geist Road 18 pickups
- Hoosier Road 19 pickups
- Fall Creek Road 56 pickups
- Brooks School Road 152 pickups
Next time you see Stan in his golf cart cleaning up Fishers, say hello and consider how you can make a difference in your community! Keep Fishers Beautiful, the City’s annual celebration of volunteerism and sustainability, brings together residents, homeowner’s associations, local businesses, and organizations to support the vibrancy of our City and neighborhoods. To Adopt-A-Road or for information about upcoming volunteer opportunities please visit the Keep Fishers Beautiful website. For more tips about sustainability check out these blog posts!
Melissa Rogers is an Indiana native who has lived in the Indianapolis area for several years. She attended Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, majoring in journalism & public relations and is a previous public relations intern with the City of Fishers. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, going to Indy Fuel and Pacers games, and hiking with her German Shepard, Ari. Her favorite part about Fishers is how many great restaurants and shops there are to choose from.