Above: Devin Linnane helped clear out a hydrant.
On Monday, as the snow continued to pile up from a late February blizzard, kids and teens in Dorchester answered the call to show up —shovels in hand — and help out their neighborhood.
District 3 City Councillor John FitzGerald — via Instagram— put out a call to action for his “Fitz Blizzard Blitz,” promising a $10 gift card to any young resident who helped out a neighbor or cleared a fire hydrant or sidewalk ramp.
“I thought about doing this in prior snowstorms, but you just sort of wonder, is it really going to get momentum? Should I put this out there?” FitzGerald told the Reporter on Friday. “We put it out there, and the results were better than expected. I’m so proud of the community for stepping up. I love seeing the kids participating in taking care of the community they love.”
According to FitzGerald, more than 35 kids participated and shared photos of their work online. Brother-sister duo Gavin and Sloane Woods (pictured above) shoveled out a fire hydrant while Finn and Shea Flaherty and Emma Walsh helped shovel their neighbors’ steps, and Devin Linnane cleared out his neighbors’ driveway.
“Seeing the satisfaction of accomplishing something and giving back, I think that was probably the best part,” said FitzGerald. “I’m just getting them in that practice.”
He added, “Don’t be afraid to make it a habit.”
The gift certificates will be good for popular ice cream spots in Dorchester: Lazy Bear, The Icecream Smith, and Chill on Park, he said.
