City seeks volunteer snow shovelers / LJWorld.com

Now that you've practiced, city officials are asking you to volunteer to shovel someone else's snow-covered sidewalk this winter season.

City officials announced Wednesday they have created a new program aimed at matching able-bodied shovelers with elderly or disabled residents who aren't able to clear their sidewalks of snow.

"There have been people who have been shoveling snow for their elderly neighbors forever, but there isn't really a program out there that matches people up who can help with people who need help," said Lisa Patterson, communications coordinator for the city.

The program, a partnership with the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, is accepting volunteers but probably won't be in place in time to help people remove snow from Wednesday morning's storm. To volunteer, call 832-3338 or register online at www.lawrenceks.org.

Once registered, volunteers will be contacted within a few days with the name and address of a person who needs help with snow removal. The volunteer is expected to help throughout the season. The homeowner is to provide a snow shovel and salt. The volunteer is obligated only to clear the sidewalk and a walking path from the house to the street.

Resident who want to receive the assistance must be referred by one of the agencies that help the elderly or disabled. David Morrissey, manager of the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, said he'd be seeking names from agencies such as Douglas County Senior Services, Douglas County Visiting Nurses Assn. and Independence Inc.

Morrissey said the goal was to have at least 100 volunteers this year. He said he'd be doing outreach to church and other community groups that might be seeking a community service project. And he's hoping university students would find it a good way to volunteer, because many of them live in apartment complexes and don't get the "opportunity" to shovel snow.

Jacob Martin, Lawrence, of Low Maintenance Landscape, shovels snow from the driveway of a central Lawrence home. The city and the Roger Hill Volunteer Center have started a program to match volunteers with people who are physically unable to shovel snow.

"That may be an example of a population that doesn't know there's a senior citizen on their very block that needs the help," Morrissey said. "This could be a real saving grace for the elderly."

The city's snow removal ordinance requires homeowners or renters to remove snow and ice from the public sidewalk that runs through their property within 24 hours of the end of each storm. If a stretch of sidewalk is the subject of a complaint, residents can be fined $20 per day that the snow or ice isn't removed within five days of being notified of the complaint.

In February, several city commissioners complained at a commission meeting that many residents weren't doing enough snow removal in a timely manner.

People who want to volunteer for the city's new Safe Winter Walkways program can call 832-3338 or register at www.lawrenceks.org.

Mayor Mike Rundle said Wednesday residents need to understand the importance of sidewalks to the city's transportation system.

"There are many of us who try to get people to think about transportation as more than just the automobile," he said. "People ride their bikes and walk a lot. Icy and snow-covered walks just force more people out onto the streets."