While children of all ages — and a few adults who were young at heart — took to the yards and parks to frolic in the snow late Sunday and Monday, there were some who did not have the chance for a snowball fight or to build a snowman.

For those who serve our community, from first responders ready to assist in a moment’s notice to those who provide for our basic services, Monday was not a snow day, but a workday; a cold, wet workday at that.

Crews with Waste Management continued to pick up garbage, while the city’s street department and the county’s road department chased down road hazards brought about by the snow and ice. Power crews with Entergy stood ready to respond to downed power lines caused by icy conditions and area water departments waited to respond to the first report of a broken water line.

While snow does provide a pleasant respite at times, bringing a rare chance to take part in winter activities such as sledding and perfecting the art of rolling the perfect snowball, it brings challenges that we are often not prepared for.

Those in more northern locales might joke about how our schools and businesses close down at the first mention of the s-word, but our drivers are not blessed with the experiencing of handling snow and ice, nor do we have the needed equipment to properly salt and prepare the highways ahead of winter weather.

This week’s winter weather was a nice break from the onslaught of worry we have all faced with the COVID-19 pandemic or the tragic scenes of riots that divide our country. It was a chance for us to talk about something other than masks, insurrection and a sluggish distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

We are thankful for the break and even more thankful for those who had to toil in the weather to make sure others had the time and the chance to enjoy it.