For 35 years, volunteers have raked the yards of residents who are elderly or disabled for “Rake Up Boise.” This year, they’re working to stop the spread of leaves — and coronavirus, too.
Saturday, more than 1,000 volunteers will rake leaves from about 700 homes in Boise —but Inga Hadder, the director of communication and community engagement for NeighborWorks Boise, said this year’s event had to be different.
“Many of the homeowners we serve are vulnerable folks from a health standpoint, older folks,” she said. Because of the pandemic, homeowners and volunteers will be keeping their distance.
Krystal Wright, a volunteer for Rake Up Boise, said not interacting with homeowners will be disappointing.
“Because that was such a highlight, was seeing how excited they were and how appreciative they were. So that will definitely be missed," Wright said. "But personally … I still think it's a really important community volunteer event that impacts so many. So we'll still be there.”
Team sizes will be smaller and volunteers are encouraged to wear masks. Fewer people have signed up than in the past, but Hadder said she’s grateful the community is still finding ways to take care of each other —even amid a global pandemic.
Copyright Boise State Public Radio 2020
