Volunteers Clear Snow For Military Families
CHICAGO (CBS) -- SnowCare for Troops is a free service for military families that not many people seem to be aware of.
As CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports, the service started this winter with volunteers shoveling outside the homes of veterans or people who have a loved one stationed overseas. As one volunteer shows us, it's easy to serve those who are serving our country.
The drudgery of clearing your sidewalk of snow can be a cold, miserable task, unless you have a snow Guardian Angel to do it for you.
"It's a way to kind of give back to our country," Phil Levato said.
Levato owns the snow removal company "Snowbiz of America" on the city's Southwest Side, but on his own dime, he sends out crews to take care of a woman whose husband is deployed overseas.
"The first time, she was very shocked and surprised and very thankful each time after that," Levato said.
The woman sent Lovato an e-mail of appreciation, reading, "Thank you again for all the work you have provided me and my kids. You have no idea how much I appreciate all you have done."
Levato has set aside enough crews to take care of 20 military families in the area. He has put the offer out on Facebook, but so far, no takers – maybe because it sounds too good to be true.
"We're just trying to give back," Levato said. "It's not only me. There are other snow removal companies that will take care of you."
So Levato and the other volunteers are trying to get the word out. If you're a veteran or the family of a recruit, there are snow angels waiting to help.
"My grandfather was a veteran," Levato said. "Hopefully, he's looking down at me saying, 'Hey,I'm proud of my grandson.'"
The program is an outreach of an existing program that provides landscaping for military families in the warmer months.
To sign up for either program, go to projectevergreen.com.
Once you're in, you don't have to call to request service before it snows. The volunteers monitor the weather services and send out crews automatically. They also salt properties when it gets slippery.
