A group of Ballard neighbors are banding together to help one another in case the predicted snow hits Seattle.
The idea was first floated in the My Ballard Group by member Holly Williams. She posted: “In case of snow, would anyone be interested in coordinating check-ins for elderly and disabled neighbors who might need help clearing driveways and sidewalks?” The responses came flooding in, so Holly set up an online form to help organize willing volunteers.
As a recent transplant from Georgia, Holly tells My Ballard that she’s not used to the snow, and last year’s storm took her by surprise.
“My roommates and I were unprepared and had to use dustpans and anything else we had to clear our stairs and dig our cars out of the snow,” she says. “We were able to do that, and even had fun doing it together, but I can’t imagine how difficult it was for people with any kind of physical limitations.”
The form asks just a few questions: your name, whether you want to volunteer to help clear snow, if you need assistance, or if you have a shovel that people can borrow. The last point is particularly helpful, considering the citywide shortage of snow shovels during last February’s historic snowstorms.
“I thought if we organized in advance we could make sure no one gets stuck or injured in our neighborhood this winter,” Holly says, adding that the response so far has been heartwarming — over 60 responses came in the first 12 hours.
If you want to help out or if you think you’ll need assistance if the predicted snowstorm transpires, fill out the Ballard Snow Preparation online form and join the newly formed Facebook group to help coordinate efforts.
The National Weather Service is predicting snow starting Monday, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing overnight on Sunday.
Photo of the February 2019 snowstorm