INNISFAIL - With the annual wrath of winter knocking on the community door, the town is targeting community groups to help with its valued volunteer-driven Snow Angels program.
The town is reaching out to school classes, businesses and even the sports community to share some shovel work to make life a bit easier this winter for local seniors and adults with disabilities.
"It doesn't just have to be an individual that takes on a resident in town to be their Snow Angel. It can be a pair, a group or a business or in sports that wants to take on a senior for the winter, or a classroom," said Allyssa Bremner, the town's community facilitator, who gave a presentation and left program applications for Grade 10 students recently at Innisfail High School. "If people are kind of hesitant about giving up their whole winter for shovelling for someone, that is why we are really encouraging to get out into a group.
"If there is a group of 10 people they can rotate every time it snows so maybe they are only shovelling once or twice in the season," she added.
Bremner said since the first heavy snowfall last month the town has been able to put together six matches of Snow Angels and citizens in need. However, there are still nine seniors on the waiting list that require winter help.
"I anticipate getting more calls as we get more snow," said Bremner. "This is a program for people who cannot get out there and do it on their own, and a lot of time it is for people on low income that can't afford to pay for the services either.
"And for any younger people in town or even people looking for work I always encourage volunteerism as a great thing to put on your resume and it's usually pretty impressive to future employers," she added.
As for what the actual physical work entrails for Snow Angels, Bremner said "technically" the town bylaw requires them to shovel the sidewalk within 48 hours of a snowfall, and it is up to volunteers to do other areas, such as the driveway, walkways and pathway to a vehicle.
"It is kind of encouraged because I still do not want the seniors getting out there to do that themselves," she said, emphasizing it is up to volunteers on how much shovelling they want to do.
And while being a Snow Angel is a volunteer labour of love for Innisfail's most cherished citizens, the town will once again have a special draw for a gift at the end of the season, one which a lucky angel will almost certainly appreciate.
"It is a little bit more incentive," said Bremner, noting past end-of-the-season draw gifts to a lucky Snow Angel included snow gear and an iPad.
For more information on the Snow Angels program call Bremner at 403-227-3376, ext. 225. Applications can be picked up at town hall. They can also be accessed on the town's website at innisfail.ca
All applications will include a letter that must be taken to Innisfail RCMP to obtain free criminal record and vulnerable sector checks.
