For over four years, Tom Schruben of Kensington, Maryland, has brought smiles to his community with a simple gesture—posting a daily "dad joke" in his front yard. What started during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a cherished routine for his neighbors.
Schruben, an environmental consultant, began the tradition as a way to ease the tension and fear that gripped his neighborhood in 2020. “People weren’t talking to each other, and it was just a very scary time,” he recalls. His jokes, written on a whiteboard, quickly caught on and became a source of joy for those walking by.
The jokes have had a deeper impact than Schruben ever imagined. A young neighbor with special needs makes a point to stop by twice a day because, as he says, “it’s better the second time.” Another neighbor sent pictures of the jokes to her father, who was battling COVID in a New Jersey hospital, using them as motivation for him to stay strong.
Schruben’s belief in the power of laughter is rooted in his own experience with grief. Two of his six children passed away at young ages due to medical complications, but Schruben has found a way to honor their memory by spreading joy to others.
"Life involves suffering sometimes, but you just have to go on," Schruben says. Through his daily jokes, he offers a reminder that even small gestures can make a big difference. As one neighbor put it, "Maybe I can do something, too."
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Photo: Getty