St. Louis Resident Volunteers to Clear Snow-Covered Streets
January 30, 2026
A local resident in St. Louis has garnered widespread praise for taking it upon himself to rent heavy machinery to clear snowy neighborhood streets at no charge, easing travel difficulties for residents following severe winter weather.
Kenneth Harrell / KSDK News
Kenneth Harrell, the man driving the initiative, has seen his quiet act of generosity spotlighted online through viral social media content. Although not a resident of the area he assisted, Harrell felt a sense of community duty and intervened upon witnessing the challenges faced by locals.
In a proactive move, Harrell rented a Bobcat-style skid steer loader at his own expense, amounting to approximately $500, and began clearing roads that were previously impassable for many drivers.
“Originally we were putting out a crew to hand shovel and we were charging for sidewalks,” Harrell told KSDK. “It just didn’t make sense to me that people could get out of the house, but not off the street.”
The efforts quickly gained attention as images and videos circulated on social media, depicting Harrell’s skid steer navigating the challenging terrain. Residents soon became aware of “someone with a skid steer” assisting their neighborhood even before seeing his work in person.
Harrell also responded promptly to a request from a restaurant owner who needed help clearing parking spaces.
“He inboxed me today and I said, ‘I’ll be there,’” Karen Wiley Vails shared. “And I said yay — this is what community looks like.”
City officials, aware of the unofficial plowing, viewed the initiative positively. St. Louis Streets Commissioner Kent Flake noted, “I mean, if they’re helping, I’m not going to tell them no.”
Watch the video below:
