The Teachers of Sts. Peter & Paul ELC
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Jeremiah 29: 11-14
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."
Hi friends and families,
There is no doubt that the wrath of Hurricane Ian has been felt throughout Florida. But there is one special place and one special group of men and women who have been significantly affected. This place, and these people, are the ones who have poured love into our children every single day, teaching them, feeding them, playing with them, and wholeheartedly loving them.
Sts. Peter & Paul Early Learning Center has unexpectedly had to close their doors permanently due to irreparable damage to the building. The families of the ELC are heartbroken. Many of us have had multiple children go through the infant room, toddler rooms, PK3, VPK, and school-aged rooms. Christmas programs, VPK graduations, spirit weeks, after-school care, first steps, first foods, first words, and so many more memories held within those walls.
The ladies who worked tirelessly to make these memories a reality for us are now without jobs and without pay. As new parents having to return to work, Ms. Naya took us in immediately and walked alongside us when we needed financial assistance. I walked into the infant room to watch my son take his first steps into Ms. Maria Serrano's arms, who taught me so much as a new Mom. Ms. Paula quickly became a family friend and watched our boys so we could have a date night. Ms. Zuly and Ms. Amy comforted my youngest when he had a hard time transitioning after a year at home (COVID babies...). Ms. Jillian shared her fruit bowls with our son, who could never have enough strawberries. I would walk into the infant room to Ms. Janet having a dance party with my oldest. I worked alongside Ms. Nelson, who mentored me throughout my first year of teaching. Some of the families I met through teaching there and having my boys go there, are now people I consider my own family. The love and light these women have added to our lives is immeasurable.
As a current teacher, a parent, and a former employee of the ELC, I know how hard these ladies work day in and day out. I have experienced the peace that washes over me when I drop my children off knowing they will be loved and cared for in a beautiful way. I know how much they love our children as if they were their own. I also know just how heartbroken they are by this closure.
We are reaching out to you today in hopes that we can come together to provide some monetary assistance to the staff and faculty of the ELC. We are hoping to offer them some sort of a "financial cushion" to help them as they look for new placement. Any funds raised will be split among the 15 employees. We prayerfully and kindly ask that you keep these ladies in your prayers. This is undeniably an unsettling time of uncertainty for them.
Please feel free to reach out to us directly if you have any questions,
Lillian Drummond, Sarah Scheid, and Victoria Diaz
Organizer
Lillian Drummond
Organizer
Winter Park, FL