Some Welcome Snow As Shoveling Business Booms
MIDLOTHIAN, Ill. (CBS) -- Some people are not dreading the snow. In fact, they welcome it.
CBS 2's Marie Saavedra spoke with one young businessman in Midlothian who has never been busier. He said that weather like this means it's his "go time." This area and much of the southwestern suburbs is getting ready for that storm that's lifting up from the south, and while the majority are hunkering down, he is getting bookings.
"We want to make sure they have easy access in and out of their driveways," said 20-year-old Jacob Conway said. "We want to salt their steps, their walkways, just to make sure they're all taken care of."
Conway thrives by being of service. He is running for village trustee, but it's the fact that this is his fifth year clearing snow, mostly for seniors, that brought CBS 2 out. He grabbed a friend, advertised on Facebook, and he has about 25 people already lined up around the area who need the help.
That includes Barbara Delacasa, who represents a lot of his clients. They are older or have medical challenges that make shoveling for themselves impossible.
"I'm disabled and I've had several spinal surgeries, so as far as I go is the front stoop and that's it," she said. "And here in the middle of the night, first thing in the morning before he goes to his regular job, here it's been Jacob out here."
The issue of seniors needing help with snow removal isn't new, but in nearby Orland Park that village is looking at a new solution called Snow Angels, which pairs seniors or those living with a disability who have requested snow removal with volunteers willing to do it. The village will be voting on that program Monday night.
In Delacasa's case, she says she's happy to pay a good kid.
"He will be coming back I can guarantee you," she said. "He'll be coming back tonight. He'll be coming back tomorrow morning before he goes to his regular day job, and probably checking in with me after that."
After her house, Conway has at least 20 others booked and calls coming in as fast as the snow is falling.
"We've got people who are scheduling for midnight because they work over night, so we're going to be out. We're going to be staying warm, hopefully," he said.