Drew Horn, from left, Emily Bacon, Kitty Taylor and Brandon Pineda participate in a community snowball fight at the Haynie's Corner fountain in Evansville, Ind., Friday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2021. Sam Owens/ Courier & Press
Joshua “Big Cat” Pietrowski prepares to fling a snow ball across the Haynie's Corner fountain while using a homemade shield during a community snowball fight in Evansville’s Haynie’s Corner neighborhood, Friday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2021. Sam Owens/ Courier & Press
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EVANSVILLE — People arrived at Haynie's Corner Friday afternoon prepared for an epic snowball fight. Armed with a wheelbarrow full of snowballs and plastic shields, the group of about 20 people split into two teams.
The air was soon filled with snowballs being thrown back and forth. Kids and adults screamed with joy as they tumbled in the snow, falling after getting hit. There was some friendly trash talk exchanged, but everyone left Friday's event in smiles.
Zoe Taylor, who organized the event on Facebook, said that's all she could have asked for.
Her goal was to bring people together because she knows many were struggling with how isolating this time has been.
"The winter has not been friendly to go outside, and I’ve noticed, at least what I’ve been seeing with my friends, a huge amount of depression talk. So I wanted to do something where we could go outside and have fun," Taylor said.
"Sledding is more of an individual thing, and I was hoping to find something that could connect us better. And that happened to be a snowball fight."
She was worried the snow might be gone by Saturday, so she shared the event around on Facebook, and people excitedly responded.
Many brought their kids along, including Dana Lyons and Daniel Sugg with Noah Sugg and Silas Lyons, age 6 and 7, in tow.
Daniel Sugg said he discovered the event on Facebook and couldn't think of a better way to celebrate a snow day than a snowball fight with all ages.
The two boys also said it was the first big snowfall they've seen, and they have enjoyed getting the chance to play in it.
"I didn't know I was going to get covered in snow," Silas Lyons said.
Dana Lyons said it was the perfect way to get the community together and have some friendly fun.
Taylor said it was great seeing the adults enjoy the snowball fight just as much as the kids.
“I think everybody likes to play in the snow. It’s just when you get older, you try to find excuses not to, but as soon as you get out into nature, it's great," she said.
This is just one of many events she'll be hosting in the hopes of bringing people together.
In the summer, Taylor plans to have a big water balloon fight for the community.
"I think that’s what we missed in the summer and the fall. It’s that contact that Evansvillians like to have with each other. We didn’t have the Fall Festival, couldn’t have any bands. Music was shut down, bars were shut down," Taylor said. " So all these community events we were using to become more connected dissipated."
Enjoying time together is still possible by finding creative activities that can be done while socially distanced and outdoors, she said.
Taylor, a volunteer with Feed Evansville, shared a bit about the organization with those gathered for the community event. Feed Evansville has been engaging in a different kind of fight, a fight against food insecurity in the community. The need existed before the pandemic but the last year has made the existing need even greater.
She encouraged those there to spread the word about the organization both to those who may need the help and those who could donate their time or resources to help Feed Evansville.
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