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‘Thaw’ from deepfreeze prompts fun in the snow

March 8th, 2021

After two weeks of temperatures dipping to -40°C, employee care partners at Points West Living Heritage House in Vegreville couldn’t resist bright mid-February skies and a ‘balmy’ -12°C to get out in the snow. Six of them bundled up, and romped in the snow, and tossed snowballs, much to the amusement of residents watching from the cozy side of their windows.

It all started with that penguin...

“I think the penguin instigated the snowball fight,” says recreation coordinator Kathy Sawchuck (aka, the person wearing a penguin onesie and holding a bucket of polystyrene snowballs). “The penguin had started throwing fake snowballs at residents inside the building, and they were thrown back at her faster than she could return them. She then took them outside to the courtyard to throw at residents watching from their windows.”

The snow was flying

The prospect of slinging real snow proved irresistible to a handful of other care partners. “The real snow wasn't sticky enough to make snowballs but rest assured the snow was flying,” says Kathy. She was joined by maintenance man David Chillibeck who brought out a snow shovel for more efficient snow launching. General Manager Alexis Bauer and care partner Monica Jeffrey threw snow at the windows while residents laughed and instinctively ducked.

Snow angel

Care partner Lorelei Lloyd went around the courtyard making snow angels, and a couple of other care partners joined in the snow play. Kathy managed to get some nice photos, in spite of the conditions… “It was tough to take pictures while watching your back!”

Photo collage: (Left) Care partner Lorelei Lloyd makes snow angels in the courtyard, while (right) Monica Jeffrey and GM Alexis Bauer (yellow jacket) toss snow at residents’ windows on February 18 at PWL Heritage House in Vegreville.

More photos at Flickr: ‘Thaw’ from deepfreeze means fun in the snow

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