Aurora Snow-Shoveling Volunteers Honored By City Officials

AURORA, IL —Whenever it snowed 2 inches or more, Aurora Snow Angels were out shoveling the driveways of senior citizens and residents with disabilities. The volunteers were honored for their work Thursday during a special celebration hosted by city officials.

City of Aurora officials welcomed the first week of spring by saying a hopeful goodbye to winter, or at least the end of snowfall of more than two inches, by thanking the more than 100 residents who volunteered for the Operation Senior Shovel program.

"I live with both my grandparents — they're both disabled and handicapped — so I know how much of a blessing it is for me to do their driveway," Volunteer Adam Zepeda said at the event. "To be able to do the same thing for others in the community, it goes a long way."

This winter, more than 150 residents were on the receiving end of the free program. The program was activated six times throughout the cold months, and volunteers spent almost 1,000 combined hours shoveling for residents, according to Chief Communications Officer Clayton Muhammad.

During the Thursday celebration, senior citizens connected with their volunteers and thanked them for their work. Each volunteer also received a certification of appreciation.

"It was a real blessing to be able to help out. For me, I got so much more out of it than I think the seniors did because they would come out and watch and want to talk, and I'm like, 'I'm trying to get to work,'" Volunteer Curtis Wilson said at the gathering, smiling.

Come summer, city officials are organizing a similar program, except volunteers — called Aurora Grass Genies — will mow lawns instead of shoveling snow. Muhammad said in a news release Friday the details for this program will be announced soon.