St. George’s property flooded

By Mary O’KEEFE

St. George’s Preschool and Episcopal Church in the 800 block of Foothill Boulevard has unfortunately been added to the list of buildings, and homes, affected by the recent rains.
On Saturday, debris had flowed into a drain causing rainwater to back into the playground and Lower Softley Hall where the kitchen and classrooms are located.
“There water came up more than two feet along the wall and all through the playground,” said Mynor Loarca, property and grounds manager for St. George.
Inside Softley Hall and the classrooms on Tuesday large humidifiers worked overtime as they suctioned water.
“We fill one of these each day in each room,” Loarca said.
The buckets hold about 15 gallons of water each.
The real damage was in the preschool. Carpets are soaked, all the floor moulding had to be stripped and equipment and supplies are damaged, some beyond repair.
Most of the school’s books have to be thrown out.  Teachers Barbara Taylor and Heidi Hamilton had been cleaning and drying non-stop since they were told about the flooding.
“We have lost all of our books,” Taylor said.
They have also lost some play dress-up clothes and were in the process of going through the games that were stored in low cupboards.