ST. CLOUD - Neighbors helping neighbors, that's the basic premise of the Plowing Vets program. This is the second winter a group of local folks are offering to plow snow from the driveways of veterans and their families. But not just veterans, they also want to help out police officers, first responders, and firefighters.

Nathan Johnson says it's just a simple act of kindness.

If there are people that are in dire need whether it's a widow or a veteran, or if they have babies or sick kids or injured family members, we want to be able to provide them assistance as best we can.

Johnson says last year they had about 25 homes that signed up for help.

Currently, we reached out to those families that we supported last year, and then we have added additional ones this year.  Some have dropped off or didn't need the service this year, so we're still sitting at about that 25 number.

Johnson says, besides St. Cloud, they also serve an area from Rice, to Avon, to Richmond, to Paynesville.

Johnson says right now they're looking for both volunteers to help do the plowing as well as people who need help this winter. He says you can also make a cash donation if you want to help pay for gas, but none of the drivers will be paid for their service.

Johnson is a 16 year veteran of the Minnesota National Guard and also has been a police officer for the past three years. He's one of the people who had his driveway plowed last year, while his wife was pregnant with triplets. This year he's giving back and will be one of the guys plowing driveways.

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