9-year-old convinces town council to lift an archaic law banning snowballs

For the last 98 years, Severance, Colorado has had an ordinance against throwing missiles of any type at trees, buildings, property, or people. According to Kyle Rietkerk, assistant to the Severance town administrator, snowballs qualify as missiles. Lots of kids have complained about the snowball ban over the years, and the town leaders have always told them the truth: the power to change the law is in your hands. No one has taken on the task.  

Until now. This winter, nine-year-old Dane Best learned about the ordinance when he threw snowballs at his little brother. He decided to do something about it. 

Dane gathered signatures from classmates and encouraged them to write letters to the city council. He and his family researched the laws in Severance, and learned how to go through the process of getting them changed. Then earlier this week, Dane made his presentation. After the board clarified some of their own questions with the young activist, the snowball ban was officially lifted.

Celebration broke out. With TV cameras rolling, Dane had the honor of throwing the first legal snowball in Severance in nearly a century. He also threw the second, at his younger brother Dax.