From the outbox of Meyer’s inbox
There aren’t many of us out there in the cold parts of the country that actually enjoy shoveling snow. Sure, if you’ve got one of those handy snow blower machines it could make clearing the walkways a bit more fun. The truth of the matter is that if its your job to clear the driveway, don’t you hold out until the last moment possible in the hopes that the sun will do its thing and melt away the mess? That wasn’t the case for the crew of custodians working at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. When “snow-mageddon” hit D.C. this special team hit the sidewalks and didn’t stop until the job was done. An inspiration for all of us!
UNSUNG HEROES WHO HELPED DIG OUT WASHINGTON AFTER SNOWSTORMS by Nicole Norfleet writing for the Washington Post
Custodial workers at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development were back to their routine of clearing trash cans this week. But just a few weeks ago, this same group of men, dubbed the “HUD heroes,” battled the blizzard, clearing snow and keeping the department accessible to essential personnel for five straight days.
As he stood with his friends between shifts Monday, Ricardo Stewart, 50, recalled the whiteout conditions. While shoveling on one shift, he said, he couldn’t see the Department of Homeland Security building across the street. “And we were on the sidewalk.”
The 19 workers and managers are employees of Melwood, a nonprofit that provides jobs for the intellectually and developmentally disabled. Starting Feb. 5, the Melwood workers went to work digging and blowing snow, day and night.
“When they pulled the snowplows, they didn’t pull Melwood,” Stewart said with a laugh.
It was an uphill battle. “As soon as we blew the snow, it blew back,” said Diane Workman-Jones, assistant project manager. But the workers pressed on. They made a path from the nearby L’Enfant Plaza Metro station to the building. They knocked down icicles and cleared ramps. They didn’t just stop at their department: They helped clear the parking lot at the Department of Homeland Security.
“Nobody quit. Nobody gave up,” project manager Deborah Fisher said.
Back inside, there weren’t any beds or bunks. Most slept on chairs in the men’s locker room. Those who had planned ahead ate meals brought from home. One manager braved the snow to make food runs for the others.
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