“It doesn’t cost me anything to be kind,” said Paddington, dressed in his signature blue coat and red hat. For the last 37 years, UPS delivery man Jeff Guzzo has lived by that philosophy and that has been the reason to celebrate him.

On a summery Sunday in May, what seemed like the entire community filed into Thunderhead Lodge to thank him and to show their appreciation and even their love.

“So many people from the community came to thank him for his service,” said Meredith Prange, who owns the lodge with her husband. “He just goes out of his way for everybody. He’s like a celebrity.”

Guzzo’s fan base shared anecdotes, stories, laughter and even a few tears that showed just how much Guzzo has meant to them over the years.

For weeks, signs printed with “Thank you Jeff” proliferated throughout the area.

“The whole community was talking about his retirement,” Prange said, “So when Kim [George] asked me to host it, I had to do it.”

“Jeff is my carrier,” George said. “He also used to be our delivery person at Parkland Health Center. He’s just a genuinely nice person.”

When Guzzo’s sister, Fran Szalay learned about her brother’s reputation, she had to come and celebrate with him.

“He doesn’t do Facebook, but we do,” she said. “I joined the New Tripoli page so I could see all the pictures and posts. I just had to come.”

The retirement party was a group effort.

“I provided the venue, food and dessert,” Prange said. “Buttered Crumb gave us a cake and some other [goodies].”

“Everybody was on Facebook wanting to do something,” George said. “Ed was thinking of starting a GoFundMe page.”

That actually happened with an overwhelming result.

“Over $5,600 was collected on GoFund Me,” George said. “This is just a judge of his character. Jeff is just a nice, kindhearted person.”

This sentiment was reiterated repeatedly as neighbors shared their feelings about how Guzzo always went above and beyond what was required.

“He’s more than a UPS delivery guy,” Ed Lubinsky said. “He’s like a member of the family.”

“On his daily route, every dog knows him,” added his wife, Julie. “He always has bones for them. If I found him in my living room, I’d just say ‘Hi, Jeff.’”

Originally from Roseto, Jeffrey P. Guzzo was the man of the hour.

“I mentioned to a couple of people that I was going to retire,” but when he started seeing the signs he said, “I just couldn’t believe it.”

Guzzo is retiring after working with UPS for nearly four decades.

“I’ve been delivering with them since 1989,” he said. “I love UPS.”

“I always wanted to do the right thing for my customers,” Guzzo continued. “That was my job, but all of this is way above community thanks.”

Guzzo was continually overwhelmed as his customers thanked him.

“They trusted me with their house. They trusted me with their kids,” he said with tears in his eyes.

“That’s the way I was brought up,” Guzzo said. “I grew up in a small town. My mom had ten brothers and sisters.”

Guzzo approached every delivery with more than professionalism. Even when he encountered a less than friendly customer, he sought to smooth the waters.

“You come across some unhappy ones along the way but then I would say, ‘What can I do to fix this?’ and that changed everything.”

The Bethlehem resident lives close to UPS, but chose the route through Germansville and New Tripoli for 20 years, a decision he never regretted.

Guzzo said, “In my younger day, I was an Iron Man. I loved physical fitness growing up.” Now, at 62 and with a new hip, he’s had to adapt.

Retirement will be quite an adjustment for him and his customers.

“I have family in Florida. Maybe I’ll move down there in a year or two,” Guzzo said.

What is certain is that he will be greatly missed.