Resident of Valle Verde Honored for Her Community Involvement

Like any great leader, Valle Verde resident, Elinor, is quick to recall the contributions of others. Having recently celebrated her 100th birthday, the retired early-childhood educator can still remember the parents who helped lay the concrete, paint the walls, and fill the sandbox of The Oaks Parent-Child Workshop, the cooperative preschool that she led for more than three decades.

The Oaks originated out of the post-war baby boom. At that time, a large development near The Oaks housed many young families with limited resources and an abundance of children. Elinor realized that the area surrounding the homes were covered in sand, leaving the children without a place to play. Searching for a solution, the parents obtained the use of a large hall for the children. They soon recognized the need for a formally trained administrator, so Elinor, who has an advanced degree in child development, took the helm, never imagining how many lives she'd touch. What started as a temporary position ended up as 31 years of devotion. Elinor worked tirelessly to help establish a permanent home for the school. Focusing not only on the children, she also prepared evening presentations on child development to help parents strengthen the relationships with their children.

Today, Elinor's many rich and joyful memories include watching the happy children grow and develop. Now, seven decades later, preschoolers still chase each other, playing the same games, making friends and growing up in a community established by Elinor's devotion. At Valle Verde, we are so lucky to have Elinor, to add to the vibrancy of our close knit community.