As the winter of 2014 rages on (and on and on) in North Jersey, the ratio of buried sidewalks to kids with shovels seems to be somewhere in the vicinity of a million to one.
Do kids shovel snow, anymore? Do they even know that kids USED to shovel snow? Or has
this chapter in human history been completely erased? Not exactly.
Last week, Geri Dalton of Englewood did get lucky. “Our doorbell rang several times on
Monday — all kids looking to shovel!” Leanne O’Connor of Cliffside Park, was even
luckier. She and husband Peter have four children, ages 6-16, who always pitch in. “My
husband is a firefighter and, since he is usually busy during a snowstorm, the children learned very young that we can bundle up and go shovel — first our house, then four or more of our elderly neighbors,” O’Connor said. “But I was shocked the other night at dinner when my 13-year-old told me his friend spent the whole day playing Xbox while his dad shoveled their house and then shoveled out two of the neighbors! What are we teaching our children?”
A program in Hasbrouck Heights is described in detail on the borough’s website:
Several Hasbrouck Heights Middle/High School students are offering services to assist the
elderly and disabled in Hasbrouck Heights shovel snow from their property. This service
assists the students in obtaining community service hours toward their graduation, as well
as helping a Hasbrouck Heights resident in need. Please contact Police Headquarters if you
are in need of assistance, 201-288-1000.”
