AURORA, Colo. — With snow season around the corner, the city of Aurora is looking for more volunteers to be a part of a program that helps shovel snow for people who can't do it themselves.
The program, Snow Busters, pairs volunteers with neighbors with others who have limited financial resources or are incapable of shoveling their sidewalk after a snowfall due to age, disability or other conditions.
In Aurora, residential property and business owners must remove snow and ice within 24 hours after a snowfall ends. If a snow emergency is declared by the city, they have 48 hours to clear the sidewalks. Otherwise, residents could be fined.
Snow Busters has successfully paired 10 volunteers with neighbors this year, but Anthony Bolton, the programs coordinator, expects demand to continue growing.
“Aurora is incredibly massive. There are instances where let’s say in the southeast of Aurora where its far less occupied that people are looking for help and I have difficulty finding folks in that area."
To volunteer, you must be 14 years old or older and must complete a background check to filter out those who have a criminal record.
“The folks who apply to volunteer they’re only responsible for the city sidewalks, but if they develop some type of relationship with the person who’s applied for service, they sometimes do the driveway in addition to the city sidewalks and also the walk to the house," said Bolton.
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