His job is a Walmart greeter...His love is children

Myra Miller
myra.miller@eunicetoday.com

Eunice Walmart shoppers who shop with their children know him personally... and “personal” indeed he is.
Octave Allen, a Walmart greeter, not only does his job as a greeter, but extends it with “dimes.”
For those of you that are not understanding...Allen always has his pants’ pockets full of dimes. What does he do with those dimes?
“Give them away...I make sure I have dimes all the time. As children exit or enter Walmart with their parents/or guardians I hand out one dime per child,” said Allen.
And why? “The excitement! Because children are impressionable, and the look of joy on each face says it all. They remember things everyday. And why not remember good things.”
Why dimes? “No real good reason, I guess. It’s a small coin.”
Allen makes sure he never runs out of dimes. “I cash in my bills to get rolls of dimes. At any given day, I may give out a total of 3 rolls to children. Sometimes, customers give me dimes to give away!”
It’s catching on at Walmart. Allen added, with a laugh, “I once had a child walk up to me, and then next thing I felt a small ‘pat’ on my pants pocket,”
Walmart manager Robert Gaspard said that Allen has been recognized or pointed out to him on different occasions, “A couple of years ago I received a complimentary letter in the mail commending Allen for his generous, thoughtful, and nice attitude towards children and adults alike.”
Allen said he recently received a “homemade” construction type-letter given to him by a school teacher. He added, “Blessed me so much. All the students had signed their names and said their own Thank You. I plan to frame it at home soon.”
Allen, 79, who resides in Basile, began his greeter career at Walmart in July of 2006.
He “sports” his Walmart name tag that reads, “Octave, People Greeter, Proud Veteran.” Allen is US Army veteran. He served 3 years as a staff sergeant E5.
Allen says he tried “retirement” several different times, but became bored at home. “I would much rather stay busy. When I cannot work any longer ...then you just as soon as put me in the grave.”
Allen says he was a “Jack of All Trades” during his work career. His very first job was right after his military service. He landed a job with Limited Box Factory, out of DeQuincy. “My job was to make crates, boxes, baskets for potatoes.”
Allens’ prior job to his current one at Walmart was working at Coushatta Casino in Kinder in the slots machine area. “I gave customers their change.” He worked at the casino for 8 years.
Allen was married for 42 years to his late wife Margaret A. Allen. “Everyone called her fondly “Bunkie.” She died in April 2005 from complications of kidney disease.” He is the father of 4 sons and grandfather of 5.
Allen, born on Nov. 29, 1934 to Joe Allen and Lena Allen Lavergne of Oberlin, comes from a large family “I was number 7 of 14 children. We were 8 girls and 6 boys and raised with little money to go around.”
According to Allen, he did not receive a high school diploma until the age of 22. “We lived in the country near Oberlin. We had to walk 2-1/2-miles to school. Back then, there was no transportation and no school buses. I remember there were no public schools. I started school at 6-years-old at a baptist church nearby Oberlin.”
Allen added, “Things happened, I missed school because of transportation and other issues. I was 12 before a bus passed a route nearby my home. I did end up passing to 7th grade, then transferred to Kinder High.” Allen graduated from Kinder High in 1956.
Allen says he is in fairly good health, although, “I have some arthiritis from time to time in my back and shoulders. A lot of times I’ll switch my standing to sitting, then sitting to standing, as I watch customers arrive and depart the store.
Allen’s generosity and love for children go “hand & hand.” He added, with a smile and grin on his face, “What’s that popular saying? .. It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”