PICKING UP RESPONSIBILITY TRASH COLLECTORS SUPPORTING CHILD.

Byline: Judy O'Rourke Special to the Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - Day after day, Santa Clarita's trash collectors return to their office and empty pocket change into a donation can, building a college fund for the young son of a local soldier who died a year ago today in Iraq.

So far they've collected more than $10,000, spurred by five co-workers at Blue Barrel Disposal who are family members of the fallen soldier, Army Pfc. Jose Ricardo Flores.

``We wanted to make sure this young man would have something for his future,'' said Dave Hall, route manager for Blue Barrel.

Flores, 21, who lived in Newhall and attended Hart High School, was killed Nov. 16, 2004, in Mosul when explosives hit his convoy.

Angel Gabriel Flores, who was born in Hawaii eight days earlier, never set eyes on his father. The child lives in Hawaii with his mother, who serves in the same Army unit as her deceased husband.

``Ricky'' Flores' sister, Rosie Flores, 19, is moved by the outpouring from people who never met her brother.

``Don't worry about anything; we will take care of him,'' company officials reassured her about her nephew last year. Angel and his mother, Laura, visited the company's Santa Clarita offices recently.

``The workers, the look in their eyes, they were family to Angel,'' said Rosie Flores, a student at the University of California, San Diego. ``When Angel grows up he'll never be able to feel the warmth of my brother Ricky, but he'll feel the warmth of them. It's like a warmth only family can give.''

Blue Barrel established the trust fund days after Flores died. Many employees have reached deep into their pockets to help out.

Waste Management has matched the donations, which also have come from employees of haulers with Burrtec Waste Industries and Consolidated Disposal Service and community members.

``These are blue-collar workers giving not just what they can - their generosity is beyond belief,'' said Chris Fall, public sector services manager for Waste Management, Blue Barrel's parent company.

Co-workers banded around Flores' uncles, drivers Saul Mejia, Hector Carillo, Antonio Carillo and Luis Flores, and his cousin, mechanic Rene Flores. Collectively, the family members have racked up more than 60 years of service to the hauler.

The family's sadness was compounded when Eva Carillo, Flores' grandmother, died in a collision in Mexico en route to the young man's funeral. She was the mother of two of the drivers.

Many people take for granted the big trucks guided by agile men in uniforms who whisk away their discards. ``These are the guys who have picked up your trash, green waste and recycling for years,'' Fall said. ``Many people don't realize the size of the hearts they have.''

Judy O'Rourke, [phone]

judy.orourke(at)dailynews.com

HOW TO HELP

Donations for 1-year-old Angel Gabriel Flores may be made to the ``Angel Fund,'' account number 2427806413, at any Bank of America. Checks should be made payable to Dave Hall in Trust for Angel Gabriel Flores.

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