The entire east coast was hit with the 2016 Blizzard on Jan. 23 but that didn’t stop volunteers at Netcong School to step up to the snow.

In these conditions many school districts had difficulty finding places to move the snow and clearing sidewalks and entrances. And what happens when the school district’s snow blower breaks down? Well, at Netcong Elementary School, no job is too big or small for volunteers.

On Sun., Jan. 24, the Netcong School maintenance crew was clearing snow all morning and afternoon. On the tail end of the job, the school’s snow blower broke and there were still sidewalks that needed to be cleared. When Chief School Administrator, Dr. Gina Cinotti became aware of this situation, she took her own snow blower to the school and began to clear the sidewalks.

“There was a sense of urgency to ensure we could open school tomorrow,” said Cinotti. “I can’t open school with sidewalks not cleared. How would kids safely walk to school.”

Board President David Costanzo saw Cinotti and immediately pitched in to help out. He solicited the help of a neighbor and friend he grew up with in Netcong, Jeremy Stevens.

“Netcong’s small town feel is not just that; it’s a sense of community that transfers over to the school culture,” says Costanzo. “Dr. Cinotti’s energy and dedication to Netcong School is contagious. Anything I can do as a Netcong alumnus, resident, and board president, I am going to do. I was happy to roll up my sleeves, dig in and help prepare the building/grounds for student safety.”

Stevens used his own quad with an attached plow and cleared one of the sidewalks that connects to the crosswalk.