Pender Co. preschool looking for fallen trees to recycle after hurricane

HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) — A preschool in Pender County wants your trees, stumps, or branches that have fallen after Hurricane Matthew.

There are hundreds of fallen trees across Southeastern North Carolina from Hurricane Matthew and the Puddle Jumpers Nature Preschool in Hampstead wants to put them to good use.

Every day, Misty Fisher puts on her rain boots with one goal in mind.

“It’s something that grew out of my childhood being able to be outdoors and play as a child,” Fisher said.

That is why she started Puddle Jumpers Nature Preschool in Hampstead set to open later this month.

“It’s all about getting kids outdoors learning in a natural environment,” Fisher said. “We are all about science, hands on experiences in nature.”

That is why the tree stumps are important for their playground.

“For tables, for different things for our mud kitchen and for our gathering circles for story time,” Fisher said.

She said they have already done some scouting around the area.

“We left notes on a lot of trees that we saw down with our post card that says, ‘Please bring us some trees!'” Fisher said.

In the middle of this interview, her request was answered.

“We were working on 210 and she came up to the work crew and asked for some stumps for the preschool,” Sean Myers said.

Sean Myers, owner of Patriot Tree, said they have been busy.

“The amount of debris has really been excessive,” Myers said.

He said this is not their only recycling stop.

“Wood chips, I’ve been bringing up here to the high school in Hampstead and the elementary school and individual homeowners too,” Myers said.

Meanwhile this puddle jumper, is just grateful her preschool is one step closer to a new playground.

“I hate to see all of that go to the dump when we could really use it for something good for educating children,” Fisher said.

The preschool will have its first open house on October 29. Click here to see their Facebook page. You can call Fisher at 910-231-6775 to donate trees or stumps.