Volunteers at Buchanan art center adapt during winter storm to keep sidewalks clear

 

BUCHANAN, Mich. – The recent snowstorm has hit Southwest Michigan hard, and left hundreds of people without power for parts of the day, after blanketing the area with snow.

Buchanan Township saw at least thirteen inches worth of snowfall, but for some areas further south, the snow was a little less intense.

“We lucked out, we didn’t get as much as other areas did,” said Marie Remington, with the Roti Roti Art Center of Buchanan. “Anywhere between three or five inches, depending on where you were.”

But even though the snowfall was minimal, it still could create problems.

For the ladies who volunteer at the Roti Roti Art Center, they usually have someone to help them in the winter months who takes care of the snow.

Remington remembered “Several years ago, we didn’t know who was doing it, but when we would get here, the sidewalks were cleared, and we finally found out, after winter was over, who it was, and we expressed our gratitude and he volunteered to do it again last year.”

But misfortune struck—the man who took care of their sidewalks broke his elbow at work.

And with a sidewalk they needed to clear, the volunteers at the art center worked together in the freezing cold to shovel away all the snow.

“I had a total car full of Christmas ornaments that had to come in today to decorate the art center for tomorrow. Everybody pitched in to make sure I could get them up the sidewalk,” said Nana Maher, with the Roti Roti Art Center.

Everyone even included one of their own students!

Maggie Drew, studying pottery said, “All these women work so well together and they’re all so kind, so if they’re shoveling, I’m going to shovel too!”

They made short work of it, clearing and salting the sidewalk in just about fifteen minutes, all working together to get through the winter snowstorm.

“Many hands make light work,” said Remington.

The ladies at the Roti Roti Art Center joked that them coming together like this reminded them of what it was like back when it was just them volunteering when the art center opened up in Buchanan almost twenty years ago.