He’s battled cold temperatures, trudged through snowbanks and run in the rain to do his job for the past three decades.
But you won’t hear Howie Janes complaining.
“I just love it,” he said. “I love my job.”
The 47-year-old is a carrier for The Telegram and today marks his 30-year anniversary of delivering the newspaper in his hometown of St. John’s.
And in a province where employees — according to Statistics Canada — take an average of 8.7 sick days off annually, Janes hasn’t missed a day of work in three decades.
“I never get sick. I don’t know why,” said Janes, who added there’s never been a morning he hasn’t wanted to go to work.
That positive attitude has, no doubt, been a key to his good health.
“Delivering the paper is good exercise, too,” Janes said. “It helps me stay in shape.”
Over the years, Janes has battled frigid winds and cold temperatures, trudged through piles of snow and run in the rain to deliver the newspaper to his customers every day.
He said it’s been a good way to earn money.
“Customers leave me good tips, especially around Christmas,” he said.
He doesn’t see many of his customers, though, as he’s usually awake at 2:30 a.m. to begin delivery at 4 a.m.
“It’s pretty quiet when I’m out,” he said.
Janes’ route has included the Boyle Street area since he began in 1988 and has recently seen the addition of the Anspach Street area.
There were some memorable moments on his walks, including the time about four years ago when he had a surprising visitor along the route.
“I was going down Anspach Street when I looked to my left and there was a big bull moose coming down Spratt Place,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know where it came from.”
In his spare time, Janes said, he likes to help out Metrobus drivers by delivering coffee to them.
But it’s his work with The Telegram he likes best, and he says he doesn’t have plans to give it up just yet.
“They’re good to me,” he said. “I’m going to keep going.”
Twitter: TelyRosie
