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Published Friday, June 27, 2008 in Local

Photo by Amy Riley

Charlie Robison, a resident of Comforts of Home Assisted Living Facility, brightens the day of passing motorists with a smile and wave from the front lawn of the facility.

Robison inspires local commuters with daily dose of hospitality

By Amy Riley

The Times-Herald

When 83-year-old Charlie Robison waves, people notice. Robison is a resident of the Comforts of Home Assisted Living facility on Highway 34 in Sharpsburg. Shortly after he moved in last January, he was inspired to drive his scooter outside to the driveway to greet morning commuters with a smile and a wave.

Robison started out waving to local children riding on school buses, but his mission quickly expanded to include morning and afternoon commuters of all ages. And now he's become a local legend. People all over know about Charlie.

"It's a blessing to me to get out there and wave at folks," said Robison. "Some will honk and wave, and some will stop by to visit with me."

"Mr. Charlie has inspired so many people," said Mitch Thompson, co-owner of the facility. "And he leads an active life. He's gone more than I am," referring to the frequency with which Robison is invited to lunch or dinner with long-time friends and relatives.

"He's a legend at Sprayberry's," added Thompson. "He has his own table."

"He and 'Miss' Elizabeth started coming a lot in 1995, when we built the new restaurant," said Jay Rogers, manager of Sprayberry's. Elizabeth has since passed away, but even as she was slipping away with Alzheimer's disease, Charlie continued to bring her to Sprayberry's several times a week, Rogers said.

"I remember one night they came out, and when they got back home, Elizabeth wanted to know why he hadn't taken her to Sprayberry's yet," said Rogers. "So Charlie brought her back up and they ate again; he didn't want to upset her," said Rogers. "Mr. Charlie is a fine man."

"My wife and I stopped by to see him just the other night," said Rogers. "We were coming back from Peachtree City, and we saw him sitting out there waving. Just while we were standing there, dozens of cars honked and waved as they drove by."

"I still go to Sprayberry's at least two or three times a week," said Robison, who mostly frequents the newer restaurant on Bullsboro Drive but still goes to the one on Jackson Street from time to time.

"Anytime somebody will come by and pick me up, I'll go." Robison knew the original owner and his wife.

Local commuters have grown so accustomed to Robison's daily doses of hospitality that they call and ask about him if he misses a morning.

"Most days, Charlie Robison is out there on the case," said Thompson. "One day his sister called to speak with him; I told her he was at work. She wanted to know what I meant. I told her he was out there on the corner, doing what he does every day," Thompson added.

"Not a day passes that someone doesn't stop by to talk to me," said Robison.

His kindness and commitment to lifting the spirits of passersby have won the hearts of local commuters. Some call. Some send cards, and some stop by to see him.

"Every time I see you and you wave at me and my kids, you bring a smile to my face," wrote Amanda, who signed a card along with her children, Ryan and Sean. "Thank you for being so sweet."

Years ago, Robison owned a service station on Temple Avenue for 17 years.

"I looked back at some of the records the other day, and the last year I was in business, I was selling premium gasoline for 49.9 cents a gallon," Robinson said, "and that was for full service."

Robison got out of the business in 1970, well in advance of the last energy crisis. He can't imagine being in the gas business today.

In 1970, Dr. Gene Tyre, then pastor of the First Baptist Church of Newnan, visited him at the station one day to ask him to consider coming to work as the maintenance director at the church because the current maintenance person was retiring.

"I told him I'd have to pray about it," said Robison. "I told the Lord he was going to have to give me a sign. When I woke up the next morning, the very first thing on my mind was the church, so I told Dr. Tyre I would do it," he added.

"About three weeks later, someone came in and offered to buy the station," Robison said, so I sold it and went to work for the church."

He worked there for 11 years total, and retired three different times.

"They'd get somebody new and within a year or so, they' d leave, and they'd call me back to see if I could do the job until they found somebody," said Robison, "so I kept going back."

A year after Robison began working at First Baptist, he started preparing the Thanksgiving meal, a characteristic act of service and love he continued for 19 years.

"The last year I did it, I cooked 65 turkeys and used 90 dozen eggs," he said. "I fixed 2,100 plates."

Robison came to know Mitch Thompson through his mother.

"Annie Thompson used to be a customer at my service station," said Robison. Annie Thompson later went into the assisted living business and cared for Robison's wife, Elizabeth, at Point Magnolia. It seemed only natural that, when the time came, Robison would come to stay with the Thompsons.

"He's been a great spokesperson for senior citizens," said Mitch Thompson, who has recently expanded the Comforts of Home facility to offer an adult day program. Robison proves everyday that life is still meaningful, and that he still has so much to give and do.

"I really believe that we have made a nice home for Charlie," said Mitch. "We provide a service that more and more people need," he added. Comforts of Home, located at 4308 Highway 34 East, is a state-certified Community Care Services Program (CCSP), which means that residents can pay for services with Medicare funds. Mitch Thompson co-owns and runs the facility with his mother, Annie, and his sister Sandra Shular. Mitch and Sandra's grandmother is a resident of Comforts of Home.

"We feel like we offer a unique setting for people who don't yet need the level of care provided by a nursing home but don't really need to be living on their own, either," said Mitch. "We have worked to make this a real home, and to become a valued part of the community," he added, which he hopes is conveyed in the facility's name.

"Mr. Charlie seems very happy here," said Mitch.

Robison has an impressive tomato plant growing off the backyard patio, which he proudly displayed during a guided tour of the beautiful backyard and front porch.

"Over 17,000 people pass by here every day," said Mitch. "To see them slow down, or wave, or blow the horn, and not only that, but to see them pull in to stop and visit with Mr. Charlie, is something to see," he added. "At first we were worried, and so were the passing motorists, some of whom called to alert us that he was out there, but over time, it just became his thing, and people began to look for him out there."

"I don't know what possessed me to do it in the beginning," said Robison, "but now that I've started, I can't stop. I had no idea what kind of impact I was having on people until they started coming by to see me, or started sending cards."

"The truth is, this is a blessing to me," said Robison. "It really makes you feel good to know that you're bringing a little joy to someone else's day."