Motorists driving through Summit Hill each morning get a daily smile and wave from one borough resident who wants to brighten everyone’s day.

Eighty-two-year-old Stanley “Porky” Szczecina stands on the corner of North Pine and East White streets every morning, waving, blowing kisses, saluting and cheering for every motorist who drives by. Most of the time, you see waves and smiles or hear horns beeping in response to Szczecina’s bright smile.

“I’ve been doing this for at least five years, both in the summer and winter,” the former U.S. Marine said. “I try to be here and meet and greet people to start their day off, hopefully with a smile. Maybe we help them along a little bit.”

Accompanying him are two stuffed animals, Tweety bird and a stuffed dog in a costume.

Szczecina said the dog was given to him by a woman who enjoyed waving back at him every morning.

“In appreciation, I keep it out here with me,” he said.

Szczecina also dresses for various occasions, celebrating popular sports teams like the Philadelphia Phillies or Eagles and Notre Dame, as well as his U.S. Marine Corps attire.

“Sometimes they beep because you’re wearing the right uniform,” he said with a chuckle, pointing out that the jacket he was wearing sported both Phillies and Eagles.

One time, a woman stopped and told him about her late husband, who also served as a Marine, and about her son, who was in the Marine Corps.

Szczecina served during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was stationed with the 2nd Marine Division, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, for four years.

“I was in the machine gun section, squad leader, and we were stationed outside the base for three months,” he said. “We had a machine gun set up in case they tried to attack the base. That’s the closest I came to actual combat, but we were ready and trained for it.”

Another time, some women from St. Luke’s gifted Szczecina with a winter coat with a hood to help keep him warmer while he brightened everyone’s drive.

“I have had so many different experiences out here,” he said. “Many stop by and say hi. It’s just something I do to bring the morale up a little bit. It’s a good experience for me too because it gets me in a routine in the morning and it’s fun greeting people.”

When Szczecina is not standing and waving to motorists, he is watching the Phillies, working on his novels and enjoying life in the small town.

He is the author of fictional series “Laura Leinhart: The Sommers Hill Adventure” as well as “Porky’s Shorts,” which is available on Amazon.

He has deep roots in the Summit Hill community as well.

He served as the grand marshal in the 1999 Summit Hill Memorial Day parade, and is a 1960 graduate of the former Summit Hill High School.

He was married to the late Edith Ann (Tonkin), and has four children, Robin, Carol, Linda and Jeff, who currently serves as the Summit Hill mayor.