SUNDRE - Although still technically almost two months away, winter feels as though it has already arrived.
Of course with the snow starting to fall comes the responsibility of keeping our sidewalks clear to ensure pedestrians who are willing to brave the cold can safely get around.
So the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society is again bringing back the Snow Angels program, which was first introduced by Kim Free, the organization’s former outreach coordinator, said Renate de Bruijn, who currently holds that position.
Sundre residents such as seniors and people with physical disabilities — temporary or permanent — can contact the GNP office at (403) 638-1011 if they need a helping hand shovelling snow off of their sidewalk, she said.
“And then we line them up with one of the volunteers who have signed up for the program,” she said.
GNP serves as a facilitator connecting volunteers who are willing to shovel snow, with people who for whatever reason are unable to safely do so on their own without risk of harm, she said.
“Sometimes, some people can’t manage on their own.”
Additionally, GNP has signs — which as of last week were being updated — that people who require assistance can place on their front yard, thereby identifying their property as needing help. That way, people who notice the sign and are able to lend a hand can do so without even requiring the coordination through the office, she said.
“If the sign is on the lawn, then people might be encouraged to stop and shovel.”
Volunteers are not expected to bring their own equipment and residents who are requesting Snow Angels are asked to provide or leave accessible a snow shovel, she said.
The initiative is also geared more specifically towards helping clear sidewalks, which as per the municipality’s bylaws must be done within 24 hours following a fresh snowfall, she said.
“It’s not a program to clear a whole driveway, for example,” she said, adding Snow Angels should not be expected to spend hours shovelling.
“We don’t want anyone straining or overexerting themselves.”
However, volunteers who feel they have the time and energy can choose to do so, she added.
According to experts, every year following a major snowfall there is a substantial jump in hospital admittance for cardiac arrests, essentially exclusively men, some of which are fatal. Sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy habits such as smoking increase that risk.
So the Snow Angels provide an important service that helps people who are temporarily or permanently unable to shovel their walks. The program is a great way to help out the community while getting some exercise, she said. But volunteers should be cognizant of, and stay within, their physical limits, she added.
“Anyone who wants to be a part of the program can phone GNP, and we’ll put them on the volunteer list,” she said.
“We could use a few more volunteers.”
