Independence retirement community prepping for snow storm

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) — When residents at The Fountains at Greenbriar think about the forecast snowstorm due to head into the metro this weekend, they what they thankfully don’t have to worry about anymore.

Charline Clark lived on her own as a widow for many years, and when the snow came, she’d have work to do.

“I had to get out and shovel it,” she said. “I didn’t have to go anywhere, but I just could not be trapped. So I got out and shoveled and then I didn’t even go anywhere.”

Bob Hoyt recalled an ice storm one year that threw out power all through his neighborhood.

“My wife had to make soup for all the neighbors because we were the only ones that had electricity,” Hoyt said. “We were busy all the time. And here I don’t have to worry about any of that. We’ve got everything we need.”

The Fountains at Greenbriar has 180 residents. All the units are contained indoors with long hallways connecting them. They have a landscape service to plow and salt, but the maintenance director Boyles, Sr. still has a trash barrel full of snow melt and half a dozen shovels just in case the service runs behind or can’t keep up.

“We’ve got two other maintenance people here with me,” he said. “My housekeeping people are awesome. They chip in and help out where they’re needed.”

His supervisory role includes the maintenance, housekeeping and security staff. It’s the first big snowstorm since he started working for The Fountains, and he is prepared for a possible overnight stay.

“I got an all-wheel drive vehicle,” Hoyt said. “However, my plan is on Saturday to come in, pack a bag, have it here, and if it looks like it’s going to be bad, I can always just room up right here and be here through Sunday.”

It’s a plan executive director Terri Bowlin is ready for. It’s been done before and she encourages it. They have two guest rooms for visiting family. They will turn them into staff accommodations by Saturday. That’s when ice may come before the significant snowfall. One guest room will be for male staff, the other for female staff. If needed, she will open a model room for bunking as well.

Chef Stephen Pfiffner is already planning on using the space.

“I have never missed a snow day,” he declared. “A lot of our staff will be here overnight because we want to make sure we’re here for the residents.”

Residents aren’t worried about getting antsy.

“If it gets bad out there, we just stay in and just enjoy life in here,” said resident Kathy Hillen. “We’ve got bunco, bingo, all kinds of activities here.”

Hoyt is partial to a game of billiards at the pool table. They have a movie in the theater at 5 p.m. and they can play cards until the cows come home.

Community life director Tamera Bueno said the staffing team has already decided to cancel their usual Monday transportation to grocery stores and shopping centers, but she’s making up for it with additional activities geared towards keeping a sunny outlook on the snow. She had planned the “Snow Much Fun Day” for later this month but decided the impending storm made Sunday the perfect day for it.

“We’ll have an indoor snowball fight,” Bueno said. “We’ll have some fun snow-themed snacks like snowballs.”

She’s referring to the Hostess cakes. She’s considering what she calls a cold-weather clothing relay. That’s where everyone dons their coats, hats, scarves, and mittens and they are timed to see who is fastest. She’s also planning a brief bit of snow tubing on the lawn despite not having a hill.

“We improvise around here all the time,” said Bueno. “There will be one person on each side of the tube, and we will pull them along in the snow. We did it for a slip and slide on a wet and wild day, and they had a blast.”

Clark said you can count her in.

“I think I’m hardy enough,” she said. “I’ll get out there and get on that inner tube and slide down the snow.”

Hoyt said he’s not a fan of snow but loved a go-kart trip they took, so he’s game.

“Anything that has motion to it,” he said.

Hillen offered to be the designated photographer but only if she could shoot through the windows.

“They can have their snow day,” she said. “I’m going to be watching from inside.”

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