Currently in its third year, Bay Village’s volunteer-based Snow Angels program has become a hit with the town’s senior citizens.
The program pairs local seniors in need with volunteers from Bay Village to clean off snow on their driveways on cold winter days.
Despite the relative lack of snow in northern Ohio this winter, Bay Village Senior Activities Director Jennifer Ruese said the program is booming in popularity among volunteers.
“We did a survey like, four years ago, to our residents basically asking how can we help keep you in your homes for longer, with our Aging In Place initiative,” Ruese said. “One of the biggest things they requested was help with lawn maintenance like leaf-raking, and snow removal.”
Instead of dispatching residents to people in need, Ruese helps to pair volunteers with a certain house as a sort of “good neighbor” program.
She said the city wants to help create connections between neighbors that can turn into long-term friendships.
“We pair residents in need with nearby volunteers, like friendly neighbors that can help them,” Ruese said. “They just kind of adopt that house, that driveway, for the season.”
The first appearances of the volunteers, known as the Snow Angels, is the culmination of a months long process by Ruese.
“I actually start the process in August, believe it or not, looking for volunteers,” she said. “We send out the application to every resident of Bay Village in their September mailout.
“That’s when the applications start coming in.”
The project has grown exponentially throughout its three short years in existence, Ruese said adding she has about 48 seniors in need, and 40 volunteers who help shovel the snow.
“This will be our third year now, and each year it grows,” she said. “Word gets out, and now I have like, one whole street, because they all talk to each other.
“Now, I need to find a couple of snow angels for one whole street.”
The volunteer system works through an app known as Helper Helper, according to Ruese.
Once in the city’s volunteer database, the participants are paired with the closest available resident in need.
“I kind of connect the two, and the volunteers take it from there,” Ruese said. “We ask that our snow angels remove snow from their residents, after a two-inch or greater snowfall, within 24 hours.”
Ruese spoke highly of Bay Village’s set of cold-braving volunteers, and the work they have done for the community.
“They’re amazing people,” she said. “My snow angels are literally angels.
“They signed up to do a whole winter’s worth of work. If people email me or call me and say, ‘Hey, I’d like to be a snow angel,’ I send them a link to sign up with and it kind of goes into our little system.”
Additionally, Ruese said residents receiving the help are extremely grateful to the Snow Angels program.
And some of the volunteers have been rewarded for their efforts in the past, she said.
“If they’re getting a snow angel, they love it,” Ruese said. “I’ve had tearful seniors calling me, just absolutely over the moon, so happy that they were able to be a part of this program.
“The cross-generational attributes that goes along with this, it’s just one extra special aspect to the program.”
If you’re interested in becoming a Snow Angel volunteer, you can sign up at www.cityofbayvillage.com/494/Snow-Angels. For more information, contact Jennifer Ruese at 440-835-6565, or jruese@cityofbayvillage.com.
