Many people around Northern Michigan rely on snow plow drivers to clear their driveways when winter weather hits.
But some people simply can’t find money in their budget to pay for the service.
Tony is a Traverse City snow plow driver who’s out pretty much every night, helping people who can’t necessarily afford to get it done or do it themselves.
"It started out with a little tractor with a snow blower on it," Tony said.
Tony Charles started going over to his neighbors house a couple years ago to clear the snow off her driveway.
"Once I got in to having my own truck with a plow on it it just blew up from there with helping other people," he said.
Now he spends his off time during the winter months visiting nearly ten homes.
"I’ll get up at 3:30 in the morning and then will head out, then once I’m done with there I’ll run and work 10 to 12 hours there, then if it’s been snowing all day and it’s bad again I’m right back out until 9 or 10," he said.
All to help people who don’t have anyone else to turn to.
"The snow plowing is a major issue that keeps me on the road and able to keep working and I can’t pay for it, because it’s so expensive so I really appreciate their extra efforts," said Brian Simerson.
"Some of them take pride in the fact they give me what they can whether it be a batch of cookies or you know 5 or 10 dollars whatever they can," Tony said.
For Tony, it’s about doing something good, with a wish for others to pass it on.
"My hope is that overall someone will sit back and say hey now I can give something. It’s all about that," he said.
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