INWOOD— Inwood resident Daniel Pincus is tired of slush puddles and snow-covered street corners, so he's taking matters into his own shovel — and inviting the entire neighborhood to join in.
Pincus created the Inwood Shovelers Facebook group Thursday night in an effort to get residents off their computers and onto sidewalks, shoveling snow for the public good.
"I call it 'random acts of shoveling,' said Pincus, 59. "I've got a shovel, I'm not doing anything with it right now, why shouldn't I do something nice to help others?"
Pincus, a classical music teacher and semi-retired Jewish cantor, was struck with the desire to start cleaning up his neighborhood after seeing several complaints posted on the Inwood Community Group online forum about un-shoveled sidewalks near area businesses.
But Pincus has done more than just type about shoveling; he was up at 6:30 a.m. Friday clearing street corners and drains, and digging out cars and bus stops along Broadway at Cummings and Academy Streets.
"He was the first one to ever help me," said Javier Morales, 32, an employee at Cafe and Market on the corner of Academy Street and Broadway. He and Pincus spent time clearing the street corner's drain Friday morning. "Other people just walk by," Morales said.
Pincus' fledgling group already has 10 members, and with more snow on the way, he hopes residents will pick up their own shovels to clear out their corners.
"My attitude is: adopt a corner and keep it clean," Pincus said. "It's great cardio, great exercise, and you're being a good citizen."
