OKOLONA, Miss. (WTVA) -- Shops began operating sooner than expected after some Good Samaritans cleared the snow and ice from their parking lots last week.
"We've had a lot of parking lots and stuff that people weren't able to access," volunteer Austin White of Okolona said.
A snow pile in the edge of Food Giant's parking lot. 02-23-21.
White explained that last week's snow and ice caused several local businesses to close.
"It's been very inconvenient for a lot of people."
That was when he and other volunteers decided to take action.
"On my off time, we, me and a couple friends of mine and scraped off the parking lots to get these businesses back open," White said.
None of the others wanted to go on camera, but White explained they used tractors and other equipment to clear snow from places including Food Giant, Dodge'S Chicken, A Sprint Mart, and Shearer-Richardson Memorial Nursing Home.
"A lot of people weren't built up and prepared, you know material-wise and food-wise, so we just got together and started cleaning the parking lots off," White said.
Virginia Upton of Shearer-Richardson said the snow made the work day virtually impossible.
"It was pretty bad. We couldn't get in and out," Upton said.
Upton added she is very grateful for the volunteers.
"We all are. Because we couldn't even move our cars, some of them couldn't," Upton said.
For White, it's all in a day's work, and he's happy to help.
"If anybody needs help, we're gonna help. You know, we're not out here looking to get paid for it," White said. "It's strictly volunteer, you know and that's what the community needs to be, and that's what this community pretty much is."
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