It snowed in Gastonia this December. I only remember two big snows from my childhood, but my daughter has experienced two big snows in just one year. I was curious if North Carolina was getting more snow due to climate change. While temperature swings have been more drastic in the past thirty years, the amount of snowfall has not increased.

I was a kid during the snows of ’88 and ’99.

I was also curious about the impact of snow on the city, especially on residents of Highland who are usually lower income and minorities.

Schools/Daycares Closed

The snow started on a Saturday night, and Gaston County Schools closed school on Monday and Tuesday and delayed school on Wednesday and Thursday. Working parents would have needed to find childcare for the days off, especially since programs like the Boys and Girls Club and YMCA were also closed or delayed. Even two hour delays mean the parents might have to wait until schools opened to drop their children off and go in to work. Office workers usually have flexible schedules, but factories and restaurants don’t. Refusing to come in to work because of no childcare could mean a missed paycheck or even losing your job.

Government Offices Closed

Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services was closed on Monday. That means applications for food stamps, TANF, and childcare vouchers would have to wait a few more days to be received and processed. Fortunately many transactions can be completed online, but those who need money for food and living usually don’t have a lot of savings for days like these. Even if the offices were open, some people may not have been able to travel.

The City of Gastonia posted pictures of their plow trucks

Street Plowing

The city has several trucks that go into service plowing when needed. These trucks are run by the same staff that drive leaf, trash, and recycling trucks, and streets are plowed in order of priority. People close to a major road may have been able to drive on Monday. My cul de sac was not plowed until Thursday. Many long-term residents don’t have the skills to navigate wet and icy roads since they are so rare, which is why the city police recommended that people only travel if it was absolutely necessary. They reported 13 fender benders alone on Sunday.

No Public Transit

The city buses did not run at all on Monday and were on a delay Tuesday. That means people who depended on public transportation to get to work or to appointments needed alternate methods. ACCESS transportation for the disabled and elderly citizens was also not running or delayed. For some people, that means missing a doctor’s appointment or dialysis treatment.

Mail Service

USPS did not post their operating hours, but those waiting for a check or paying a bill by mail may have had to wait a few extra days. I love getting mail, and I use Informed Delivery to see what’s coming each day. I didn’t get any mail until Thursday, despite Informed Delivery’s messages. Fortunately, many service providers take online payments, and most banks have an app to cash checks. Unfortunately, low income people are least likely to have checking accounts, depending on check cashing services to get their money.

When residents of Gastonia run into lack of resources, we depend on our informal networks of friends and family for help. For me growing up, snow days meant staying with my aunts or grandmother, and my dad was always willing to drive his truck to bring by food. Highland residents are blessed to have strong community connections that bring people together in times of need.

It’s almost Christmas, and I invite you to give a gift to support my work documenting the history and lives of Highland residents. I’ve been blogging for a year now and I’ve barely cracked the surface of what it means to live in our community. You can support me by going to patreon.com/highlandrising. Thanks!