An elite unite of snow warriors, a snow SWAT team if you will, consists of Skylar, Tristan, Sydney and Caroline York. All of whom are thirteen years old and younger. “There is no storm that can defeat us,” said 13-year old Skylar York. They’re known throughout Lemoyne as members of the shovel brigade, a group formed by their mother Lemoyne’s Mayor Larissa York. She took office in January of last year, which was the first battle the Shovel Brigade had to wage. “That was like boot camp for the Brigade, I’ll tell ya. That ice was a killer, but this year we are doing good. We’re getting ahead of it,” said York.
Dorothy Hoffer owns one of the five homes the Shovel Brigade visited on Monday. She has problems breathing and was in need of some help. It was the Shovel Brigade that saved her. “It’s wonderful. Because this morning I didn’t know what we were going to do cause my husband has to go to kidney dialysis and I have COPD so I can’t do it. So I call her and she says yeah we’ll be right out,” said Hoffer.
York said they plan to keep helping residents as long as the snow continues and that anyone who needs help can call the Lemoyne borough office and ask for the Shovel Brigade. For the foot soldiers the hours can be long, but rewarding. 8-year old Caroline York said “I could do this all day because I like helping people.”