'Just pay it forward': Saskatoon students help neighbours by clearing snow

Students from a Saskatoon core neighbourhood school are stepping up to help people in their neighbourhood by clearing snow, but shovels of snow aren’t the only thing being filled up.

“They are angels!“ said Lynn Peters, a Holiday Park resident.

The kindness shown by the students from St. John Catholic Elementary School has lifted her spirits after recent snowstorms left her unable to clear her driveway.

“I've been stuck here for a while since the first snowfall. So they are helping me a lot,” Peters said.

Different groups of students head out into the community, offering a helping hand where needed.

“It’s just wonderful, wonderful. I’m impressed. I’m amazed,” Peters said.

The work being done is part of a new program at the core community school.

“So, this is the snow angel program where we go shoveling, around the community and yeah, it's a pretty fun,” grade eight student Nathan Jorgenson told CTV News.

“We go around, shoveling sidewalks and driveways and people want to pay us but we just say, we would like you to just pay it forward,” T Blacklake said.

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The project was developed by the principal and vice principal at St. John Catholic Elementary School who take turns accompanying students on each job, getting students outside during their school day for a body and brain break, is just one of the plusses.

“We look for ways to get out and impact our community and what better way than to carry another’s burdens than when it's a heavy burden of snow and cold?” vice principal David Rybinski said.

“It’s good for our kids to meet their neighbours so they know they’re not just saucy teenagers but to know they are working hard to do their best and it feels good too and if feels good to give and feels good to be kind and that’s what we work on here at St. John,” principal, Jennifer Meikle said.

It looks like the intended purpose is hitting the mark.

“It's a good thing to do, good deeds out here, especially when there's people that can't do it, like grandparents, some people that can't do it. We go out and do it for them,” grade seven student Maddison Jacklin said.

And that’s exactly what they did for Peters who has lived in this area for 70 years and also attended St. John School.

The group expects to be out shovelling as long as there’s snow which could be for many more months.