Mayor joins volunteer shovel brigade

Hickenlooper among those digging paths for seniors, disabled

John C. Ensslin, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 1, 2007 at midnight

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The 65-year-old woman in the house in the 800 block of Galapago Street peeked out the back window Sunday morning where a group of eight volunteers, including the mayor of Denver, shoveled her back driveway.

Later she broke into a grin and sounded a bit like someone who had shaken a celebrity's hand.

"I'll never walk on that sidewalk again," said the woman, who spoke on the condition she would not be identified. "John Hickenlooper shoveled it."

The mayor joined a small band of volunteers who have been digging paths for senior citizens and the disabled after the second of two major snowstorms hit Denver.

They shoveled about 40 homes on Saturday, and on Sunday they were working their way down a list of about 124 requests the city fielded during the snowstorm, said Lucia Guzman, executive director of the city's Human Rights and Community Relations office.

"We promised these folks we'd get out as soon as the storm was over," Guzman said while shoveling a path behind another home.

Juanita Chacon, a real estate agent from the Sloan's Lake neighborhood, said her neighbors helped shovel her out. Sunday was her turn to lend a hand.

"They really appreciate it," said Chacon of the people being helped.

Hickenlooper said Sunday's effort was aimed at keeping seniors safe from falling or overexerting themselves.

"How was your Christmas?," he asked 88-year-old Kay Brewer. "Enough snow for you?"

"Too much," she replied, after thanking the volunteers for their efforts.

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