Towson and other areas have been hit with some rather untimely storms in the last few weeks, and in those challenging times, some crews and residents have stepped up to help out.
Cathy Chase, of Loch Raven Village, had the "brave students of Goucher College" come to her aid when she was traveling along Dulaney Valley Road in the paralyzing Saturday storm earlier this month.
"I was out in my 4-by-4 helping a friend who was stuck near Dulaney and Fairmount," Chase said. "After we got her vehicle secure, getting home was quite the experience. If it wasn't for the kids of Goucher helping, so many motorists would have been stuck until Sunday."
Mike DeVita, of Glenmont, noticed the care SHA workers were taking when plowing the roads. "I was watching as the crews came up and down the street, clearing the snow as close to the curb as possible," DeVita said. "They would pull the plow up whenever they hit a driveway that someone had already dug out."
George Bilias is one of the SHA workers who cleans the main roads in and around Towson. He's been removing snow and ice for six years, and when I talked with him, it was evident that he has the best interests of drivers in mind when clearing the streets.
"If we see a vehicle stuck [on a main road], we do everything we can to be proactive and try to avoid plowing it in," Bilias said. "We make every attempt to move the snow away from the front of the vehicles to make it easier for them to get out when they return to their cars. It makes it an easier process for everybody."
As Bilias plowed on, he was grateful for the shout-outs he heard throughout Towson as he was clearing the streets.
"All these drivers were waving to us, rolling down their windows and yelling to us that we were doing a good job and to keep up the great work. That was nice to hear."
Still, Bilias has some good advice for all of us the next time a storm hits the area.
"When there's bad weather and the traffic is heavy, slow down, stay back [of the salt trucks], keep your distance, and be patient," Bilias said. "We're all in this together."
Attention bridge players! BIDS is a group of single men and women bridge players beyond the beginner level holding afternoon games on the second Sunday of the month at Providence United Methodist Church. It is a great way to meet people and play the game of bridge. Call Patsy at 410-472-4078 or Gloria at 410-252-3174 for information.