Focusing on the Heart of the Community

The Rancho Santa Fe Community Center is deeply saddened by the destruction and damage of homes in the Rancho Santa Fe community this past week due to the Witch Creek Fire. We wish to extend our condolences to our many friends, neighbors, supporters and members who have lost everything.
In response to this sad development in our community, the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center is assisting relief services headed up by the RSF Foundation and other local organizations, including the RSF Presbyterian Village Church. In addition, the Community Center is also coordinating a "Child to Child" drive to assist the children of our community whose homes have been destroyed. (All of the most current information is available on our website at .)
The Community Center is still closed as of Friday, October 26. Currently, members of the staff are performing a thorough cleaning that meets state standards in order to mitigate the environmental impact of ash and smoke. This is an important step in providing an environmentally safe place for the children to return to as of Monday, October 29.
As of Friday, October 26 at 2 pm, the Rancho Santa Fe School District is tentatively planning to open on Monday. The Solana Beach School District had yet not decided whether they were resuming classes on Monday.
If for some reason, the schools are not open on Monday, the Community Center will be offering child care from 9 am to 5 pm, which will be FREE OF CHARGE to our members. If the schools resume their normal scheduling, the Center will begin providing our planned Fall Session II classes as scheduled on Monday, October 29. Members can continue to sign up for classes throughout the first week of the session, and no programs will be cancelled during this time. Please note that all outdoor activities in the next few weeks will be curtailed in response to air quality standards.
Also the Community Center will be offering FREE after-school programs for our members who are victims of the fire in Rancho Santa Fe. Please contact Lori Brockett, our Executive Director, at 756-2461 or by email at lbrockett@rsfcc.or g for information on receiving this service. In order for the Center to provide adequate staffing to provide our members with these importance services, please contact the Center at 858-756-2461.
The Rancho Santa Fe Community Center is also assisting the RSF Foundation in its mission to supply monetary donations and relief services to victims of the fire. The Center along with such community organizations such as the RSF Review, Kids Korps, the RSF School and the Village Church are coordinating their efforts through the RSF Foundation. Please go to the RSF Foundation website at www.rsffoundation.org for more information on the services that are being provided and how you can help.
In addition, at the bequest of one of our members, Lori Cooper, the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center will be coordinating a "Child to Child" Drive. "My heart went to the children that do not understand what is happening," Lori Cooper said in an email she sent this week. "I'd like to start a 'Child to Child' drive for our families in RSF that have lost their homes or are displaced at this time."
"The drive will collect toys and/or other items of comfort to help the children through the immediate crisis. The idea is to have our children give of themselves, by choosing one of their own toys or items they believe would be special to a child going through this crisis. These items will then be given to their friends and neighbors with an attached note written by our children. If they could do this when they return home we will put together items in age groups and distribute to the community." The Rancho Santa Fe Community Center will be the drop off point for this "Child to Child" Drive, beginning on Monday, October 29. An end date for the drive will be announced later.
The Rancho Santa Fe Community Center is committed to providing whatever aid and assistance we can for our friends and neighbors in this community during this time of crisis. The outside bulletin board of the RSF Community Center will be made available for the community to post information as it relates to the fire relief and information. Please stop by the Community Center office at 5970 La Sendita with notices or information you wish to post.