“I thank god for them. That’s all I can say, because I don’t know what else I would do,” Kimberly McIntosh, of Waterbury, said.
Snow like what Connecticut will likely see this weekend doesn’t sit well with Kimberly McIntosh. For her, and many others, shoveling isn’t an option.
“I would be stranded here, trying to get out of here,” she said.
She would be, but thanks to the Waterbury Police Activity League’s Shovel Brigade, she gets the help she needs any time there’s a storm.
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“For the longest time, it was hard for me to find somebody to help me and somebody suggested that I call them,” she said.
This weekend, McIntosh will be one of many in Waterbury calling on the Brigade for a little help.
“We go out, we shovel driveways, stop for hot chocolate, kids enjoy a little lunch, and at the end of the day, they also get paid minimum wage for their services,” Waterbury Police Lt. Ryan Bessette said.
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It’s a good deal for everyone, but even more than that, it’s time well spent out in the community.
“It’s a good organization and it teaches them responsibilities and stuff like that because these kids need something to do today,” McIntosh said.
The Shovel Brigade has been serving the people of Waterbury for years, powered by the participation of kids ages 14 through 22.
“It’s the service that you provide to the community, helping others, and then also the opportunity to give these kids the experience to work with the police and to help elderly people in the community,” Bessette said.
