Operation Snow Angels has begun at the Port Alberni Better at Home program, with operatives Lynn Turner and Barb Stevenson at the helm.
The mission: to pair up volunteers willing to shovel snow with seniors in the community who need assistance.
And the Better at Home “elves” would like to assemble this list before any snow begins to fall.
Operation Snow Angels fits within the Better at Home mandate, which includes creating sustainable relationships between volunteers and seniors, Stevenson said.
“Snow shoveling is something we’re mandated to do. We got to winter and thought how can we do this? We can’t predict when we’ll have snow. You can’t organize and strategize things ahead of time except to have people ready.”
Turner has a map of the city and lists of neighbourhoods, where she is trying to pair volunteers with seniors. This way volunteers can work close to home and won’t have to travel far to help out.
People with shovels or even four-wheeled snow clearing vehicles are welcome.
Having a list of names provides assurances to seniors that someone will come and shovel their walks if it snows.
For more information about becoming a Snow Angel or signing up to have an “angel” show up to shovel your walk (if you’re a senior), call the Better at Home office at 778-419-3000 and register with your name, contact information and geographical location.
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