photo by: Mike Yoder

Allen Meyer, 91, is pictured at the start of his morning walk on Dec. 23 in his neighborhood near Dad Perry Park. Every morning, Meyer picks up his neighbors' newspapers at the top of their driveways and walks them up to their front doors.

Newspapers in one Lawrence neighborhood always land right outside subscribers’ front doors.

That’s because of 91-year-old Allen Meyer, who delivers his neighbors’ newspapers from the top of their driveway right up to their front door as part of his morning walk.

“I was walking by them and I thought, ‘Why am I walking by these? Why don’t I just take them up to the door?'” he explained.

On Dec. 23, the Journal-World joined Meyer at 7:15 a.m. in 30-degree weather for his morning walk around his neighborhood near L.R. “Dad” Perry Park. He sported a gray jacket, gray sweatpants, a University of Kansas mask and a furry hat. His daughter, Laura Meyer, also came. It was Laura who told the Journal-World about her father’s actions.

“Dad’s always saying he wants more feel-good stories in the news and I thought, ‘Well, Dad, you are the feel-good story,'” Laura said.

Meyer started his deliveries in late 2019, after noticing that some neighbors would emerge from their homes in the morning in bare feet to pick up their papers.

“Whew! It’s cold,” he said he would think to himself. Now, he brings newspapers as close to his neighbors’ doors as possible. And that’s perfectly fine with him, because he likes the exercise.

“I like to get out and walk. I think it helps my health…It helps keep me better looking,” Meyer said. “I want to keep doing it until I’m 100. I really do. And if I can’t get out (by myself), I’m going to urge somebody to get out with me.”

photo by: Mike Yoder

For over a year, Allen Meyer has been bringing his neighbors’ newspapers to their front doors as part of his morning walks.

Laura said she wasn’t aware her father had been delivering newspapers until Meyer’s neighbor, Shelly Platz, notified her.

“I asked him, ‘Dad, do you pick up Shelly’s paper?’ and he said, ‘I pick up everyone’s paper,'” Laura said.

Platz said at first she was surprised when she noticed her newspaper was outside her front door. She had no idea who was doing it until she caught Meyer in the act a couple of times. Then, she realized he was also doing it for others.

“I think it’s wonderful that … he is getting exercise and starting everybody’s day off with a smile,” she said.

Platz, like other neighbors Meyer has won over, sometimes leaves Meyer treats outside his home in return for his kindness. During the holiday season, Meyer received goodies from seven neighbors. He joked that he won’t “get on the scale” for another year.

“You know, sometimes I weigh before I go (on my walk) and weigh when I get back, but I haven’t lost a pound,” he joked.

Meyer waits until the sun comes up to start his walk, and he typically won’t go if it’s too rainy, icy or cold. On Wednesday, it was particularly windy. One neighbor Meyer passed by called out that he was happy Meyer hadn’t blown away.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Allen Meyer walks a neighbor’s newspaper up to their front door on Dec. 23.

One of Meyer’s favorite parts of his walk is getting to know his neighbors and — perhaps more importantly — their pets.

“I look forward to seeing my doggie friends,” he said. “I know all of their names, but I don’t know what the people’s names are that lead them.”

As he walked by houses, he’d say things like, “My friend Lucy lives in this house,” and then note that Lucy is a dog. On another street he had a friend named Sue.

“That’s a person,” Laura chimed in.

Meyer’s neighbor, Terry Tuckwin, was outside as Meyer passed by Wednesday morning. She called Meyer her “hero” and said she can’t believe he’s always out walking and delivering papers.

“He is just wonderful. Sometimes when it’s really cold and awful I get out here and I think, ‘Oh gosh, he’s already been out here,'” Tuckwin said.

Meyer doesn’t have a particular time of year when he enjoys his walk more than others: “Every day is a good day to me,” he said.

“Well, I’m going up to heaven when my time’s up, but I set my goal to live to be 100 and if I make it, okay. If I don’t, okay. But I think I will, doing exercises, you know, everyday,” he said.

As he walked Wednesday morning, he often hummed tunes to himself, and at one point sang, “On the Road Again.” When he passed by a sign that read, “Don’t give up,” he said the phrase out loud to himself. Then he added: “Keep going til the finish line.”