SEATTLE — With snow in the forecast, Holly Williams didn’t want to relive her experience with the snow from last year.
“Last year we had so much snow in Bellingham, we were stuck for about a week,” she said.
Williams says she’s from Georgia and had just moved to the area -- and she was not prepared.
“Not at all, we didn’t have a shovel or anything and used trash cans and dustpans and everything,” she said.
This year, Williams came up with a simple idea: create a volunteer list of people who could help their neighbors.
“I was hoping no one would get stuck in that situation again this year, maybe there would be a few people in the area who would be able to shovel sidewalks and driveways.”
And then the internet took over.
“We’ve had well over 100 people volunteer to help out their neighbors and it’s been really incredible!”
Williams idea soon became a Google list, then a Facebook group, where residents all over are offering to help.
They’ve listed shovels and other unexpected items, like sleds for kids to play with, and offers to pick people up in snow-safe SUV’s.
Williams say she started the group to help neighbors in Ballard, but says anyone who needs help can sign up and they’ll do their best to help.
“It’s really been amazing to see the people of Ballard and Seattle come together to help out and in really big numbers. This has been really amazing.”
If you would like to sign up to volunteer, or if you think you would like some help when it snows, you may sign up here.
