Indoor snowball fight

Snowballs were coming from every direction at the Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center's snowball fight.

Residents armed with soft, squishy, indoor snowballs, took aim at anyone passing by the hallway Thursday morning.

Some residents took the throw one snowball at a time approach, while one resident, Gloria Henderson grabbed the container of snowballs and started chucking them at anyone she thought she could hit.

Even though the container was only a 1/3 full, she was having a great time, throwing them as fast as she could before she got caught holding the now empty tub that once held snowballs.

"We try and find activities like that," CRRC executive director Bobbi Jo Drozd said. "At this age we are just focusing on motion."

Drozd is the one who came up with the idea. A couple years ago, Drozd was shopping for Christmas and saw these indoor snowballs. She thought it would be a good activity to try at the center; and she was right. The residents really seem to enjoy it.

During the snowball fight, staff members were asking the residents to throw balls at them. They also made silly faces at the residents to try and get them to throw the ball. This got some of those who didn't want to participate to join in and try to hit the employees.

Drozd said this is one of the residents favorite activities even though it may take them a little bit to get going.

"I think it just reminds them of childhood," she said. "It makes them happy when they get out."

Activities director Heidi Schuh said it's too cold to take them outside, but that doesn't mean they can't bring the outdoor fun inside. Schuh said she has just as much fun as the residents do.

With the snowball fight over, all that was left to do was clean up, which didn't take long. However, the employees noticed a few of the snowballs were missing and suspected a couple of the residents kept them to catch them when they are off guard later. Schuh said she wouldn't put it past them so be sneaky like that. It's all in good fun, she said.