Palmetto Bay youngsters at the 3C’s Preschool of Christ Congregational Church got to do something on Jan. 18 that children rarely do in South Florida’s warm climate — enjoy a “Snow Day” with sledding and winter clothes.
Roughly 13 tons of “snow,” or shaved ice, was dumped on the campus at 14920 SW 67 Ave. to give the kids the thrill of sliding down a snow-covered hill on small sleds and snowboards. There even was hot chocolate with marshmallows to make the simulated winter setting complete.
School director Adriana Black said that the annual event takes a lot of work by everyone there.
“It’s because of the efforts of our parents during our fall festival in November, and as a result of that fundraiser, we are able to pull together the funds to create the snow for our ‘Snow Day,’” Black said. “Some of the kids have actually seen snow before, but it’s fun to get them out there in their ski clothes.
Some of them have never had that experience to make a snowball and toss it to their friends here in South Florida, so it’s an exciting event for those students.”
The snowy area was created near the entrance to the school, alongside the street. The trucks arrived about 7:50 a.m. and by 8:15 a.m. the snow was on the ground, ready to go.
“We’ve been doing it there for years,” Black said. “It’s a natural hill, so the snow just falls into place. It’s a conglomerate of people who put it together — the teachers promote it and the parents come out and participate, helping as volunteers to supervise and to play with their children. I came out and made some hot chocolate with marshmallows and cookies, and that was fun for them as well.”
Palmetto Bay Mayor Shelley Stanczyk also attended the event, dressed warmly for the occasion.
Black said they were grateful for all the help.
“The school greatly appreciates the volunteers, the families and the parents who come out and support our school, particularly on days like these,” she said. “We probably had 30 parents, so there was almost an equal amount of adults as children.”
The “Snow Day” likely will be repeated and the preschool is open for registration for next year.
