Christian group helps dig out seniors, disabled in Philly
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The snow on Thursday morning was a reminder that it's still winter in Philadelphia, despite unseasonably warm temperatures just the day before.
And even though the snow moved out quickly, the temperatures plunged.
Still, in Southwest Philadelphia, we found a group of volunteers who were shoveling snow and salting pavements outside the homes of senior citizens and disabled people who cannot do it for themselves.
They're with a volunteer organization called "Able Body Christian Men." They are mostly west African immigrants.
After six years they have a list of nearly 200 households they serve free of charge.
"We already have quite a few seniors who are in our registry. It's first come, first serve, so the folks who are in our registry are folks we attend to first," said Jackie Wleh of ABC Men.
For other callers, he encourages them to sign up at ABCMen.org
For three years now, Sandy Livingston of Drexel Hill has been on the ABC registry.
"I couldn't do it, so I need men like Jackie and the group," she said.
ABC Men is always in need of donations. The church building they use as a headquarters is about to be sold off, but they want to keep on doing their Good Samaritan work year-round.
"Very soon we won't have space to run our mentoring, our after school program, our community food pantry. Even our snow removal - we won't have a stable place, a stable home," said Wleh.
For more information: ABCMen.org
Earlier in the day, we caught up with some people we didn't mind the wintry weather.
"I wait for this all year. This is joyful for me," said Jazz Graves of Fairmount. "I have a dog, who thinks this is the best thing that could happen to him. I'm a skier, so I like winter weather."
For some, the problem was the temperature, not the precipitation.
Nicole Leyrer of Fairmount said it was cold, but not so bad "as long as you're walking, keeping up the momentum."
And for the young, and young at heart, it was a great day.
Little Marc Dedlcotto was happy about the snow, telling us he "likes to make snow prints!"
His mom, Sharon, said "I'm okay with it. It's not as bad as they said it was going to be. It's winter, it's snowing. I like the snow."
Still, one snow plow operator was spoke to, who came over from New Jersey with dollar signs in his eyes, said he had a disappointing day.
