Branching Out

Delivered at our most recent end-of-the-year family potluck featuring “perfect weather” — sure there is no such thing as bad weather but this May month with its cold rain and storms, broke out the sunshine for us on this day!

“This is a story about Field Cricket, Eastern Fence Lizard, and Great Blue Heron.  Not this year’s Tracks, not even last year’s Tracks! This is a story about three young adults stepping into their next adventure.

When seven high school seniors pile into a car this summer to drive out west, one of their stops will be to visit a nursery school friend who moved to Colorado years ago, it won’t just be a road trip—it’ll be a return to something rooted in their early years. Their bond grew because their families were once connected—right here.

The children, through play, make connections that will last a lifetime.

That connection was planted at potlucks like this one. Through shared meals, carefully tracking allergies and preferences, along with hours of scrubbing and sorting play yard loose parts, weeding, fixing what needed fixing, cleaning what needed cleaning, and showing up again and again—for each other.

Today we celebrate our Branching Out children—those who are setting off toward their next learning places—and the families who have helped nurture them along the way.

As we look toward the future, we know the work ahead will take the same spirit that turned 8204 Flower Avenue from salvage to sanctuary—a place shaped by many hands, shared meals, late-night repairs, and deep care. Whether your time at the school is winding down or just beginning, we hope you’ll stay close. The next chapter will take digging, building, and showing up—again. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and we can’t do it without you.

Thank you—and heartfelt wishes to our Branching Out children and families.”