SPRING LAKE — Bryan Burke has a smile that immediately lights up the whole room.
The Spring Lake “community fixture” recently celebrated his 25th anniversary working at the Spring Lake Golf Club as a locker room attendant, where staff members from the entire club honored him with a big party – cake and all.
“I’ve worked here since 1998,” said Mr. Burke, proudly. Mr. Burke, 46, has Down Syndrome – meaning he has one extra chromosome [trisomy 21]; perhaps one of the characteristics that makes Mr. Burke who he is – a funny, charismatic, hard-working employee who greets everyone with a smile.
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“I think it’s important that people see that people [with Down Syndrome] are capable of doing work in the community,” said Bryan’s mom.
Thomas Pellegrino, Golf Club locker room manager and Mr. Burke’s boss, described Mr. Burke as “Public relations for the locker room – he is in charge of making sure members are satisfied,” he said. “And if they have any complaints, they usually don’t give them to Bryan,” said Mr. Pelligrino, jokingly.
Mr. Burke’s locker room duties include carefully placing club members’ “street shoes” in their respective lockers, shining members’ golf shoes and serving as the resident club mailman, in addition to being recognized by fellow employees, members and even infrequent golfers as the club’s unofficial ambassador.
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