Image Credit: (www.city.Kamloops.bc.ca)
December 18, 2013 - 10:27 AM
KAMLOOPS - You can volunteer this holiday season, and right now — there's not much to it.
Only half the seniors and people with limited mobility who need their driveways shovelled in Kamloops have been matched up with Snow Angels and the program is in need of volunteers. There's not much snow on the ground right now, so it's more of a waiting game — but it's still winter and it's bound to happen again sooner or later.
"This year we're up to almost 300 seniors wanting our service," said Harjeet Dhaliwal of Oncore Central Services.
The Snow Angels program utilizes neighborhood-based volunteers by pairing them with seniors or residents with limited mobility in need of snow removal services for their pathways, stairs, sidewalks and driveways. About 150 of those in need have been assigned volunteers this winter, and areas like Aberdeen, North Kamloops and Barnhartvale are most in need.
"We're doing our best to get all the seniors matched up the best we can," Dhaliwal said.
It's the third year the program has run in Kamloops by Oncore Central Services, The City of Kamloops, Volunteer Kamloops and TRU. Dhaliwal said it's not a lack in volunteers but a growth in demand. Last year 170 seniors signed up, up still from the first year. Community groups like the KRCC, Westsyde Secondary School and ServiceMaster Restoration have gotten involved along with the City of Kamloops and other community members.
"They're really showing the spirit and helping," Dhaliwal said.
For more information or to volunteer or sign up for the Snow Angels Program contact Dhaliwal at 250-828-0600 ext. 32 or by email at: harjeet@kamseniorsoutreach.ca.
To contact a reporter for this story, email: jwallace@infotelnews.ca, call: (250) 319-7494 or tweet: @jess__wallace.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013