A village snowed in

The snow was a new discovery for 18-month-old Sienna Wallach.

Courtesy Michele Wallach

Hannah Wallach, 8, tucked herself into the snow tunnel she dug on Locust Street.

Courtesy Michele Wallach

Victoria Andreo, 10, set up a snowman DJ outside an igloo she created in her family’s yard.

Courtesy Christine Andreo

Julian Vera, 6, played with his brothers, Jayden, 10, and Jaiya, 6, on Sunset Road.

Courtesy Jason Vera

Siblings Ethan Lahey, 7, and Riley, 5, enjoyed the snow with the family dog, Grady.

Courtesy Cristina Lahey

All of the activity outside the Barter family’s Copiague Street home was followed by a hot chocolate session. Ashley, 12, second from left, joined, from left, Amiya, Jaylen and Rasheedah.

Courtesy Barter family

The mounds of snow created by digging out on Sunday made for some good climbing, as Amiya, 12, Rasheedah, 13, and Jaylen, 6, found out.

Photos courtesy Steve Barter

Village crews piled snow in large mounds in the pool complex’s parking lot.

Micah Danney/Herald

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Winter’s first snowfall dumped 30 inches on Valley Stream, which created a lot of work for village employees and residents, and a lot of fun for local kids like Hannah and Matthew Wallach.

“They were beyond excited because it’s been kind of a long wait now,” Michele Wallach said of her 8- and 11-year-olds. Her youngest, Sienna, 18 months, had “no real memory of snow” from last year, Wallach said, so the experience was particularly special for her.

The family kept up with the snow as it fell on Saturday, shoveling their walk and driveway several times to keep it from getting too deep. When they went outside on Sunday, the neighborhood was busy.

“All the neighbors were out because it was so nice,” Wallach said. “It’s kind of fun. It brings everybody together.”

That was certainly the case for Dana Rush and her daughter, Bella, 8, and son, Hunter, 6. Rush sent a text message to neighbors and friends inviting all to trek to the Dunkin’ Donuts on Sunrise Highway, a few minutes’ walk from their 5th Street home. The group headed east on Brooklyn Avenue, picking up friends along the way. It had swelled to more than 20 people by the time it reached the store. The adventurous bunch packed the empty tables and threw back Munchkins and hot chocolate.

“The walk was absolutely beautiful,” Rush said.

The village deployed 51 workers and 25 trucks during the storm to keep roads clear, according to Deputy Highway Superintendent Chris Vela. Some workers were borrowed from other departments.

This was the first storm for which the village used its new salt, which is treated with magnesium chloride. The treated salt is designed for pre-storm treatment and adheres to road surfaces, making it effective longer than traditional rock salt. Crews were spreading it on village roadways during the storm’s first three hours, and Vela said that it made a difference, creating a visible film on the asphalt after it dissolved.

“It keeps the bottom layer melted, so that makes it easier for the plows to move,” he explained.

The treated salt costs $15 more per ton than regular salt. Vela said that of the available 700 tons, about 300 were used during and after the storm.