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An Altadena mother is spearheading an effort to rebuild Village Play Garden Preschool, her son’s school destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
The loss of the school was more than a physical destruction, the community lost a safe haven for their children, according to Danielle Neal, mother of a Village Play Garden preschooler.
“There’s a labyrinth over there, that is still there, that the children would run and walk in a little spiral and would stop to pick up the strawberries from the bushes,” Neal said. “Seeing the remains of everything is heartbreaking.”
The nature-focused school, which incorporated farm animals, gardens, and outdoor classrooms, was also a home for the Ramsey-Ray family.
“Fifteen years we spent building that from a very dilapidated two acres to an amazing school,” said Geoff Ramsey-Ray. “Just devastating and I think angry.”
Within days of the destruction, Neal, who also lost her home in the fire, rallied parents and community members to find a new location for the preschool.
“As a parent, my focus is my child. So if he has his community and his home base with his friends and teachers who nurture him so beautifully, I can handle anything else,” said Neal.
For now, the students at Village Play Garden Preschool are able to continue their learning in a temporary space in Arcadia, while rebuilding plans are underway.
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