Norridge officials are looking for people who would like to be added to a list that helps connect residents with people willing to assist with tasks such as shoveling snow.
The current “Property Maintenance Assistance List” is pinned on the village website and posted on Norridge’s Facebook page.
Tracey Avis, business licensing and customer service supervisor for the village of Norridge, told Pioneer Press that the list features individuals willing to shovel snow, mow lawns and/or rake leaves for residents.
“With our list getting slim pickings, we would like to see more individuals added to the list. We post this periodically on our Facebook page and keep it updated on our website,” Avis said.
According to Avis, what originally was known as the “Snow Shovelers” list started a few years ago with 27 individuals.
She explained that the resource was later renamed the “Property Maintenance Assistance List” because some of the seven individuals featured were willing to do more than shovel snow.
“All the financial arrangements are made between the individuals,” Avis said. “Residents are typically just calling in for a resource. At least we can provide them with something.”
Michael Rasic, 20, a village resident who has been on the list since its inception, told Pioneer Press that an interest in public service prompted him to become part of the resource when he was a sophomore at Ridgewood Community High School in Norridge.
“I’m very involved in politics and government. I wanted to make some side money too,” said Rasic. “I also care deeply about our seniors in town and I think our seniors should get the best care that they should get. They’ve done their time so we should give back.”
According to Avis, the maintenance list, which currently features five individuals and no businesses, is for anybody in the village to utilize.
“We noticed that seniors take more advantage of the information,” Avis said.
Rasic, who balances a varying number of annual calls from the list with his grocery stocker job at Butera Market in Norridge, estimated he has helped around 20 residents of Norridge and Harwood Heights in the past four to five years.
“A majority of them are seniors but there are a few who are young people, 40s and 50s. Some of them have kids but they just hire me to do it,” said Rasic, who offers snow removal due to the ease of transporting a shovel to a call.
Another individual who has been on the list since its inception is Michael Rasic’s sister Ashley Rasic, who started when she was a seventh-grader at Giles School in Norridge and is now a senior at Ridgewood.
“Not everyone is fortunate to have a physically good life. Not everyone is in good health,” said Michael Rasic. “It’s important that we all have kindness and compassion for everybody.”
Individuals, who are not required to be Norridge residents, may be added to the Property Maintenance Assistance List by contacting Avis, who also provides residents with a copy of the list by request.
“Not a lot of villages have this and sometimes people look to the village as a trusted source,” Avis said. “We don’t do any vetting of (those listed) but at least it’s something we’re able to offer as a municipality.”
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.