Cranberry Township’s Snow Angels help tackle snow removal
Since 2016, Cranberry Township has matched residents with one another to help keep sidewalks and driveways clear in the winter. The Snow Angels help remove the seemingly never-ending buildup of snow the community sees over the winter.
This year, 31 volunteers have been matched up with 31 vulnerable residents who need help removing snow.
“Year-to-year, it runs very similarly,” said Jessie Hoffman, a multimedia specialist who co-directs the program. “The one thing that obviously has a big impact is the weather. This year for example, we have had our snow angels go out more than they have in the last two years combined pretty much.”
Since its inception in 2016, the program has helped hundreds of residents maintain a quality standard of living throughout the winter months.
Through various social media platforms and a robust outreach to local schools and service organizations, Hoffman and her co-director, Kaylee Eyth, have made sure that everyone who needs assistance is accommodated.
“I think our program has gained a lot of traction in the community,” Eyth said. “A lot of residents learn about our program through word-of-mouth, whether they see a neighbor’s snow angel come out or folks just out in the community at church or in the grocery store just chitchatting. It’s gained a lot of popularity, which is great.”
Cheryl Irwin is one of the program’s newest snow angels and said she hasn’t taken the opportunity for granted.
“I was ill, so I couldn’t even shovel my own driveway,” Irwin said Saturday, Jan. 11. “My health has improved, so I want to be able to go and do all the things that I couldn’t do before.”
Irwin has regularly shoveled off the driveway for an elderly couple that resides in her neighborhood, but prefers to make it a surprise, oftentimes showing up in the early morning hours.
“I like to do it covertly when it’s dark outside, so he doesn’t know that I’m doing it,” she said with a laugh. “I really think it improves the cohesiveness of the neighborhood. It gives them a sense of belonging and allows them to get out into the community safely.”
That peace of mind for residents is one of the main reasons the program has been so successful.
“The feedback that we get from the residents who have been helped is truly outstanding,” Hoffman said. “Not only does it give them the peace of mind, but it also gives them the freedom to be mobile in the winter and go live their normal lives that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to because of the dangerous weather. People truly appreciate it.”
