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Sweet treat a late-night birthday surprise after a hard day’s work

Marlene Madrid with the surprise birthday cake.

Franchisee Marlene Madrid was treated to a late-night birthday surprise when friends turned up at her home with a celebration cake in the shape of a CrestClean van.

Earlier, as she and husband Jamie headed off to work, they discussed her birthday and agreed there would be no party or celebration as they did not have time to prepare something special, so they would just have dinner as usual when they finished the day’s work.

After getting home from their last customer around 9pm, Marlene was looking forward to a quiet evening with her family. But that all changed when out of the blue came a knock on the door.

Marlene’s daughter went to investigate and found friends Gladis and Jason Chavez standing on the doorstep of the family home. The couple were laden down with an array of food and treats, along with the colourful cake that home-baker Gladis had created.

“Sophie opened the door and said ‘someone is here to see you’,” recalled Marlene. “Then everyone sang the birthday song and they gave me the cake.

“I was a bit overwhelmed but I was so happy my friends didn’t forget my birthday. They are very thoughtful coming over late at night to celebrate with me.”

CrestClean’s Invercargill Regional Manager Glenn Cockroft said he was very pleased that Marlene’s family and close friends had gathered together to help celebrate the birthday with her.

“She and Jamie work extremely hard, receive great feedback from their customers and Marlene certainly deserved to be pampered a little on her birthday.”

The decorative CrestClean cake made by Gladis Chavez.