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Lakewood non-profit looking for snow shoveling volunteers

Lakewood Alive shovels elderly and disabled neighbors' driveways. They currently have a wait list of about 40 people.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio — As a life-long Clevelander, Scott Koons is used to wielding a shovel.

"Ever since I was a kid I was shoveling people's driveways," Koons told 3News, "and [I] just keep on going here into adulthood."

Now, he's one of several dozen volunteers through Lakewood Alive working to keep his elderly and disabled neighbors safe in the snow.

"You think, 'How am I going to get out my car out of the driveway? How am I going to go pick up a prescription?'" program manager Matt Clark said. "[We're] just removing the barrier for the activity of the day. People are really, really grateful."

The Cleveland Clinic advises anyone over the age of 55 or with with more than one medical condition to not shovel saying it's not worth the risk. That leaves a lot of residents like Mary Ann Jamieson truly appreciative for this service.

"It's just such a blessing, because we're not able to do things for ourselves," she added. "For them to be able to have a group to be able to help us out, it just gives us such peace of mind."

Thirty to 40 volunteers are helping clear 80 driveways this winter through Lakewood Alive's initiative, but they're recruiting more helpers since they already have a waiting list of 40 more. They're looking for people with attitudes similar to Scott Koons.

"I grew up in Cleveland," lived in the area my whole life, so the cold doesn't bother me anyway," Koons quipped.

If you are interested in getting involved with Lakewood Alive's shoveling program, reach out to Matt Clark at mclark@lakewoodalive.org.

    

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