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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Snowblower stolen, truck vandalized

By: Dan Falloon

6/01/2009 8:04 PM | Comments: 1

A non-profit organization that offers casual employment to people recovering from mental illneses had its snowblower stolen and truck vandalized over the weekend.

A spokesman for SSCOPE (Self Starting Creative Opportunities for People in Employment) said when workers arrived at their McPhillips Street compound Monday they discovered the snowblower was missing and their truck vandalized.

"Even if you lock something up, you’ll face something like this from time to time," said Bob Rempel, executive director of SSCOPE, which opened in 1991. The organization finds gainful employment for those recovering from mental illnesses. Rempel said that snow removal was one of the more popular services SSCOPE provides.

Kumaran Reddy, a support worker with the organization, said despite the robbery, business continues without the snowblower.

"We’re just shovelling by hand," he said, joking that some clients have driveways "a quarter-mile long".

"We can’t neglect our clients," he added.

Rempel asked for the public’s help in tracking down the stolen snowblower. It is described as a red Ariens 9.5 HP professional model with serial number is 000-700. Reddy described it as only having been used for about 20 hours.

In the meantime, SSCOPE is looking for a donation or loan of a snowblower to help keep its clients’ sidewalks clear.

Despite the vandalism to its truck, SSCOPE’s Christmas tree pickup service, which has not been offered since 2006, will begin Wednesday as scheduled. Rempel said that they have rented another truck.

The Christmas tree pickup program will run until the end of the month. Pickup can be arranged by calling 987-6300 or emailing sscope@mts.net. A donation of at least $10 is requested.

dan.falloon@freepress.mb.ca

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1 Comments

Posted by: Robby

January 7, 2009 at 12:12 AM

If YOU (the thief who stole the snow blower) are reading this...I say go and return the machine to the place where it came from. Nobody has to know it was YOU. Drop it off at night if you have too. Then do yourself a really big favor and turn away from breaking the law. Do it for the handicapped people who were using that snow blower. Thanks very much, I know you will do the right thing.