‘Professional wavers’ work Lee Blvd.

Diana Andrews, left, and Ahley Burlingame wave to motorits to entice them to stop in at a tax preparation firm. They are two of six people who are being called "professional wavers," working in Lehigh. Photo by Mel Toadvine
You may have noticed recently more people standing on the streets of Lehigh Acres hawking signs to eat here or there or to shop at this place or that
place.
These people are calling themselves “professional wavers” and they say the waving is fun, but they do get some strange shouts from drivers at times. But
mostly, people honk horns and some wave back. Some ignore them and for one “waver,” someone threw a wrapped up quick food wrapper at her.
Diana Andrews and Ashley Burlingame are two professional wavers and they’re out with others on Lee Blvd. during the week, whether it’s cold or not, dressed as Statues of Liberty hoping to drum up business for a tax preparation service.
Andrews, who lived in Lehigh, now lives in St. Cloud and she is also a marketing manager for Liberty Tax Service.
“I enjoy it, really. It’s fun. Sometimes our arms get tired but we just change arms and let the other one rest,” she said. And with the recent cold weather
over the past few weeks, she said it was okay for the wavers to wear coats and sweaters under the Liberty light blue costumes.
Ashley Burlingame, 20, says it’s a great job and she is working 32 hours waving and the job continues right up to April 15 when tax returns are due by the IRS.
Andrews says the money is not bad either if you stand or do your job looking friendly and waving to motorists.
“Our wavers can make between $8 and $10 an hour and if they stay until Tax Day in April, they get a bonus,” Andrews said.
“I intend to stay because the bonus is $2 for every single hour we work,” said Burlingame. It’s similar to the way many resorts pay employees during season in some areas. If they stay until the season ends, they are given bonuses. It’s an incentive to keep employees on the job, Andrews said.
The people wearing the Statue of Liberty costumes also are paid to take donuts around town and offer them to businesses to entice them to have their taxes done by their firm.
Those professional wavers in Lehigh include, in addition to Andrews and Burlingame, four others. They are Brandon Cron, Matther Serano, John Killecky, and Scott Burlingame, all of Lehigh. Scott is Ashley’s father.
“He had been in construction and lost his job, so this is something really new for him,” his daughter said. “He says he is having fun.”
“Some people pull off Lee Blvd. and come right in and tell us they have their W-2 tax forms with them and seeing us reminded them that they had better get their taxes filed,” said Andrews.
There are other offices of Liberty Tax Services throughout Lee County and there are many other professional wavers.
“They all think it’s a fun job,” Andrews said.