New West Allis volunteer snow-shoveling program overwhelmed
Despite their name, the West Allis Snow Angels aren’t ethereal beings sent from heaven.
Although on a cold, snowy morning, the ones who benefit from their services may think that’s the case.
The Snow Angels are West Allis citizens who volunteer their time to help those 55 or older or those with disabilities in clearing snow from sidewalks, driveways or alleys.
And West Allis could use more of them.
Because of overwhelming calls for assistance, the Snow Angels program — which just started this winter — is still in need of volunteers to help those who’ve already requested help with snow removal, said West Allis Tourism & Event Coordinator Caitlyn White.
The program, part of the City of West Allis Volunteer Program, is also unable to accept additional requests for assistance this season.
White said they recently cut off the Snow Angels requesting list at 50. About 40 volunteers have signed up so far.
“I would ideally like to have more volunteers signed up than requesters, just so that we have help to fall back on if we need to make last minute changes to volunteer assignments, etc.,” White said in an email.
Beyond this weekend, it’s anyone guess how much snow will fall but there’s still plenty of winter left.
The program is in its first year in West Allis, and White said the response from both volunteers and requesters has been overwhelmingly positive.
“For some, the help of their volunteer means all the difference between being homebound for the winter and enjoying their mobility,” she said. “For volunteers, they’re proud to give back to their community and make the difficult winter months a bit easier for their neighbors. It’s a win-win.”
West Allis Mayor Dan Devine agreed. “The Snow Angels program is really a great idea,” Devine said. “It not only helps out members of our community, but also can build relationships in our neighborhoods. The demand we’re seeing shows there is definitely a need.”
West Allis was aware the need existed, White said, because every winter the city would receive many requests through city departments and social media from seniors or citizens with disabilities in need of help with snow removal.
In the past, she said the city would refer them to local organizations, neighborhood associations or volunteer groups, but wanted to establish a way to serve them directly.
“The Snow Angels program came from the desire to help our most in-need citizens during our tough Wisconsin winters,” she said.
White said she’s not aware of another municipality in the area that has a similar program, but cities like Pittsburgh and Denver have one, as do several Canadian provinces. She said they reviewed those programs in shaping theirs.
If a West Allis citizen wants to sign up for the Snow Angels program, they can find more information on the city’s website and sign up online as well.
Once a volunteer signs up, White says they’ll be sent a list of addresses that need help, along with a map for reference. This allows volunteers to choose how many houses they’d like to help or are able to help during each snowfall.
Devine said the demand for the service doesn’t surprise him, and he’s hoping more folks will be able to grab a shovel and dig in.
“The response is pretty much what I expected,” he said. “I hope we are able to find more volunteers to help out more residents.”