Cranberry Snow Angel clears the way for several driveways
CRANBERRY TWP — It only takes a few minutes for Don Heisler to clear snow from his driveway.
After that, it takes just a few minutes more to clear the walkway of a home just a few blocks from his house that he was paired with through Cranberry Township. So he took on another shoveling job just another few blocks from his house.
Heisler has been a volunteer for the Cranberry Township Snow Angels for years, but said this winter has been the first he feels like he has made a significant contribution, considering the amount of snow he has had to move during the past month.
Snow Angels is designed to help minimize the difficulties of snowstorms by matching community volunteers with elderly or disabled residents to assist with snow removal. Snow Angels are partnered with residents to remove snow and keep sidewalks and driveways safer for everyone, according to Cranberry Township’s website.
Heisler, of Cranberry Township, has taken on twice the number of houses most other Snow Angels who volunteer for the program do.
“I have two people and they're about half a mile from where I live,” Heisler said. “People are just so appreciative.”
Cranberry Snow Angels is a part of Volunteer Cranberry. Heisler said he got involved a few years ago because he already provided volunteer service to the township on Election Days and the winter program gave him a chance to stay active in the colder months.
Being able to help people who specifically need the service was the icing on top of the frozen cake for Heisler.
“I'm still able to be active and do things,” Heisler said. “It helps keep me alive and vital. The cold weather doesn't bother me in the least, so it's my way to pay it forward.”
One of the people Heisler is paired with this winter is Ruth Patterson, who said she has lived in the township since 1997. She found out about the program after asking for help from her church this winter.
Some leg injuries made it more difficult to shovel her driveway, so she is happy to have discovered the Snow Angels.
“There is a lady in my church that lives near Don and said maybe he could help me out,” Patterson said Friday, Jan. 2.
After just a little difficulty getting on the Snow Angels list, Patterson got Heisler’s phone number and now asks him directly if he can make it to her townhouse to get the snow off her driveway and steps.
“It's a very short driveway, and I used to shovel it myself,” Patterson said. “It took 15, 20 minutes at most, but I had some leg and foot injuries and it made it hard. I'm really glad Don was available.”
The driveway hasn’t been too big of a challenge the few times Heisler has shoveled it this winter.
“It's a townhouse with a small driveway, just a single car wide, a single car long, so you have to figure out where to put the snow,” Heisler said. “The snow has been pretty manageable so far.”
Heisler said in addition to helping a person with a physical task that can be time-consuming and difficult, he enjoys getting a new contact in his phone, a fellow Cranberry Township neighbor. He said he has enjoyed speaking with the people he shovels for, albeit briefly, so far this year.
“We talk to them on the phone, but we have what I consider to be meaningful conversations, and it's not transactional,” Heisler said. “You get to know their situation.”
Heisler considers this a benefit of Snow Angels — getting to know people who live in the same community as him.
He also said it seems the township has a heavy need for Snow Angels because many people are still waiting to be paired with a person who can help them shovel their walkways.
Heisler said although the work is physical and it could get snowy in the next few weeks, he is happy to be part of the group helping people clear their driveways and walkways.
“I'll do what I can do,” Heisler said. “The coordinators do try to make it accommodating, so that it doesn't take you too far out of your way.”
For more information on the Cranberry Snow Angels, visit the township’s website, cranberrytownship.org, and search “Snow Angels.”
