This winter we have had more snow and ice than in an average year. As senior citizens living on West Main Street of Kutztown, my husband and I appreciate the opportunity to have younger volunteers from Operation Snowflake help us to clear the sidewalk in front of our home and yard.
When we checked our walkways early Sunday morning on February 22nd, we saw the four plus inches of snow and realized we will need to shovel again before we could try to go to our church in the Oley Valley. Since all services had been cancelled on February 15th, we wanted to go to worship on the 22nd, the first Sunday of the Lenten season. My husband and I cleared the snow on the sidewalk going from our kitchen door to the garage. We have two stray cats that reside in the garage and they needed fresh water and food. While we were doing this, our kind neighbor plowed snow between our garage and Sander Alley to help us.
Wanting to leave about 9:15 a.m. to allow extra travel time to get to our 10:15 a.m. service, we did not have enough time to shovel snow from the front sidewalks. Returning about 12:20 p.m., I grabbed the shovel and started clearing a path in front of our home. Within a few minutes, two young men, walking nearby, asked if they could help me. I thanked them and asked if they were volunteers with Operation Snowflake. One of them responded by saying he was a Christian and wanted to help us. We introduced ourselves and they began to remove the snow with their large shovels. I went into our home and made these KU students some hot chocolate. Within a few minutes they had completed their task and were shoveling the sidewalk in front of our widowed neighbor’s home as well. The second young man is her grandson. I thanked them again and told them they were angels, doing God’s work on this Sunday afternoon.
There are many kind and helpful people living in Kutztown, who willingly assist their neighbors and I’m grateful for all of them, but especially for those young people who have helped us this winter. Keep on doing God’s work. Thank you again.
Gratefully,Eleanor Shaner, Kutztown
