A Sarnia youth group of volunteer snow shovelers recently received an extra push in the form of $15,000.
The Sarnia Community Foundation and RBC Foundation gave the Adopt-A-Driveway program a grant during a ceremony at city hall Thursday afternoon.
The group of 18 to 30-year-olds, introduced by The Rotaract Club of Sarnia Lambton in December, provides free driveway snow and ice removal for 20 homes that house seniors.
Community Foundation Executive Director Jane Anema said the goal behind the RBC Future Launch project is to develop young entrepreneurs and figure out ways to fund them as they startup.
"This project has been developed by youth, and they are finding their own volunteers and finding their own funding and really essentially developing a business plan, and so this is an opportunity for them to sort of try business skills," she said. "This is the first year of the program under this funding. It was a new initiative where I think the idea with partnering with the Age-Friendly folks at the City of Sarnia, and actually Lambton Elderly Outreach as well that they will be able to expand it in future years."
Adopt-A-Driveway Project Lead Kurtis Lush said the $15,000 will help the group buy shovels, de-icers, gas cards and a number of different things to get their volunteers to point 'A' with the right equipment.
"It's so exciting to get support to help our seniors and be part of the age-friendly initiative. Our volunteer teams are just waiting for snow," Anema said in a release.
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