Most of us in northeastern Pennsylvania would be happy to forget the January 2026 snowstorm — the one that dropped more than 18 inches of fluffy, inconvenient snow across the region. But for a small group of children at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Schuylkill, that storm became the backdrop for a memory they’ll carry for years.
On the Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit at the S. Jackson Street campus, the morning began like any other. Registered nurse Gail Wood and mental health technician Sierra Brossman were reviewing the day’s plan, searching for a meaningful group therapy activity. That’s when one of them said what they both were thinking: ‘Too bad we can’t build a snowman with the kids.’ And then — almost instantly — they knew they could. Just not outside.
Soon, the idea turned into a team effort. Dietary staff gathered trays, mini carrots and other decorations. Maintenance workers delivered two five‑gallon buckets of fresh, powdery snow. Unit staff added googly eyes, cotton balls, styrofoam cups — anything safe and fun to spark creativity. Some of the kids had cold hands, so makeshift mittens made from socks became part of the fun.
For the next hour and a half, laughter filled the room as the children carefully shaped their snowmen. The fluffy snow didn’t pack well, but their imaginations held everything together. Staff snapped photos of each creation, posting them in the activity room and giving each child a copy to keep.
One particularly touching moment came when a 10‑year‑old shared that this was the very first snowman he had ever made. It was a simple activity — yet meaningful in a way that captured the heart of childhood.
As the snowmen slowly melted, one child suggested a snowball fight. Lunch arrived just in time to prevent things from getting too chilly, but the joy lingered.
LVH–Schuylkill’s Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit is a 10‑bed secure environment focused on quality behavioral health care, medical support and education. Families are encouraged to take part through dedicated family therapy sessions. But on this snow‑filled morning, the unit became something even more special: a place where kids — despite their challenges — could simply be kids.