photo by: Chad Lawhorn

In this file photo from Nov. 12, 2018, Tom Schroeder works at chipping away snow and ice from the sidewalk near his home on Crescent Road near the University of Kansas campus.

Volunteers can sign up now to help shovel sidewalks this winter for elderly and disabled residents in Lawrence.

The City of Lawrence and the Senior Resource Center for Douglas County are accepting signups for their annual Safe Winter Walkways program, which matches volunteers with people who need help shoveling the sidewalks in front of their homes after winter weather.

According to the city’s website, volunteers commit to shovel for the resident for the entire snow season, and the program tries to match volunteers with people in their neighborhoods.

Volunteers are asked to clear the public sidewalks on the resident’s property and the walkway from the street to the front door. They aren’t required to shovel private driveways and sidewalks, though they may do so if they want to.

City ordinance requires snow and ice to be removed from public sidewalks within 48 hours after the accumulation stops.

If you’re interested in volunteering, a signup form is available at lawrenceks.gov/safe-winter-walkways.

For residents who need a volunteer to shovel for them, the deadline to register for assistance is Nov. 21. They can also do so at lawrenceks.gov/safe-winter-walkways or by calling Larry Woydziak at the Senior Resource Center at 785-727-7875.