In The Spotlight | ‘It’s been Bill’s life’: Jennerstown man parking his bike after delivering newspapers for 50 years
JENNERSTOWN – Bill Berkey was 17 years old when he delivered his first newspaper for The Tribune-Democrat.
Fifty-years years later, on Dec. 31, the 67-year-old will deliver his last edition and hang up his delivery bag for good.
“I really enjoyed doing it,” Berkey said. “I’m going to miss it when I go, but it’s becoming too much.
“I’m very proud of having delivered newspapers to my friends and neighbors for 50 years.”
Berkey began his career in the summer of 1970, delivering the newspaper in the Jennerstown area, and shared the route with his brother, Tim.
“My dad wanted us to do it,” he said.
But within a year, Berkey took over the route and was doing it by himself.
For many years, he delivered both The Tribune-Democrat and The Daily American of Somerset. But for the past several years, he’s been carrying just The Tribune-Democrat.
At his peak, Berkey was delivering 106 combined newspapers daily.
He said he never sets an alarm and often is waiting for the papers to be dropped off early in the morning.
“I’m up at 5 a.m.,” he said. “It used to be 2 a.m., but that became too hard for me.”
https://www.tribdem.com/news/in-the-spotlight-it-s-been-bill-s-life-jennerstown-man-parking-his-bike-after/article_fe775e32-471f-11eb-a329-439e2f1a5a84.html