california wildfires

Altadena mother pushes for preschool relocation following the Eaton Fire

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. 

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Village Play Garden Preschool was just one of the schools lost in the Eaton Fire, community members rallied together to bring the safe haven back for their students. Amber Frias reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on January 23, 2025. 

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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