Westport is blessed with a number of excellent preschools.
Children here are taught, supported and nurtured in a variety of settings.
Landmark Academy is one of those. Teachers at the Burr Road preschool for children ages 1-5 — affiliated with the K-8 Ridgefield Academy — earn high marks from parents.
But more than half of those Westport families give administrators a failing grade.
The trouble began when COVID-19 hit. Like nearly every school, at every level, Landmark shut its doors, and pivoted to “remote learning.”
Now, a petition signed by over 50 families cites several areas of concern.
Parents claim that when they asked for partial tuition refunds due to the “general frustration or futility of distance learning” for their young children, they were told “falsely that each of us were outliers against the tide of otherwise satisfied Landmark parents, and that each of us were ‘the only one to ask for a refund.'”
They say that Landmark was “not willing” to work with those who suffered significant pandemic-related financial hardship on tuition requests. Some already paid deposits for the 2020-21 year. They “signed up for a different experience” than they may have, they say — yet the school has refused to discuss refunds.
The parents say that they have accepted Landmark’s “significantly higher” tuition than surrounding preschools, because of its “higher quality and higher service.”
“It was thus a surprise and disappointment that we discovered other preschools were offering a more transparent, parent-friendly approach to the pandemic, while Landmark falsely told us at the time that no schools were offering refunds,” they say. The parents allege that at least 5 other Westport preschools offered partial or full refunds.
Landmark Preschool on Burr Road.
“We understand that this pandemic has presented Landmark with unprecedented difficulties,” they say.
“We wish to feel the sense of belonging and community at Landmark that we felt before the pandemic. While Landmark is educating our 2, 3 4, 5-year-olds how to work together with one another, we first ask the school to work together with the families.”
But that petition is not their only cause for concern.
The school received a Paycheck Protection Program loan of between $1-2 million, listed in the Westport PPP database. Some parents call that “double-dipping,” alleging the school kept the loan, tuition and deposits.
Examining the 2018 Form 990 tax filing for Ridgefield Academy — Landmark’s owner — one parent discovered that the head of school made a total of $768,000. “In a time when many leaders take voluntary pay cuts to protect the business and customers, Landmark is not making any effort,” a parent says.
In addition, some parents say that other local preschools responded “more creatively, pragmatically or empathetically” to the pandemic, like delivering art supplies every 2 weeks, or acknowledging that distance learning through video was futile for young preschoolers.
I asked Landmark to respond to the parents’ concerns. Ridgefield Academy director of communications Kara Morgan said:
Like most non-profit independent schools, the school did not issue refunds on base tuition for remote learning but instead worked to deliver the best possible remote learning experience for the entire community. Our budget and expenses for the 2019-2020 academic year were already fully committed and the school had to account for increased operational costs in some areas around health & safety and the move to remote learning. The school did offer refunds for services that could not be rendered such as transportation fees, preschool lunch services, and camp deposits.
To our knowledge, no independent schools in our area have offered families tuition refunds. There are some nursery schools and daycare centers in the area that have offered refunds. Families who enrolled in the tuition refund insurance program that Landmark offers and choose to withdraw their children did receive tuition refunds through their policy.
All parents sign an enrollment agreement that clearly outlines our non-refundable deposit policy. This is consistent with the independent school model. However, if a family has chosen to withdraw their child from our program, we have offered to apply the deposit toward the tuition if they chose to return to our program at a later date.
She added that families experiencing financial hardship have been encouraged to reach out to the business office to discuss payment options. She said Landmark has extended payment schedules and increased financial aid.
As for the PPP loan, Morgan said those proceeds cannot be used for tuition refunds. The loan was used to pay teachers’ salaries and other allowable expenses, enabling it to bridge the gap between expenses and lost income.
Morgan also stated that, based on surveys of parents, Landmark made refinements to its remote learning program. These included more teacher-created videos, mailing home prepared packets of materials for use with lesson plans, the option for families to schedule small-group and 1-to-1 Google Meet sessions with teachers, and more open-ended activities to support play and exploration.
Not all parents supported the petition. Matt MacDonald said:
We raised a number of issues and concerns with school administration throughout the closure this spring. The school was pretty quick to provide thorough, honest, and quick answers to our questions. (Ridgefield Academy head of school) Tom Main even spent an hour with us on a conference call to discuss our concerns about this coming fall to the best of his ability. Our experience was completely different to what was put down in that petition — and there are plenty of other parents who feel the same way.
Still, according to parents who contacted “06880,” over half of Westport families are “disappointed, frustrated and angry. They feel that they’ve been taken advantage of. The school did a good job of keeping families from talking to each other. It was impossible to get emails for all the families. ”
One parent said that their pre-payments for the spring semester “presumably went toward teacher and staff salaries and operating expenses. It seems curious to receive a PPP loan that is also supposed to go towards paying teacher and staff salaries.”
Another said, “After the large number of parents politely requested to further discuss the matter, Landmark responded with a letter that felt very dismissive. They essentially said, ‘we used your money to pay for a top-notch online program.’ Online learning for toddlers is comic at best.”
A third summed up their frustrations: “None of us parents want any negativity or adversarial interactions. But it feels like we were taken advantage of, when we should have banded together and handled this unprecedented situation with compromise on both sides.”
Dan. As a six-year veteran of this preschool and a person with a child who just completed a remote learning program in the fours, I am truly disheartened that this article was printed without extensive investigation into the sentiments of the parents who did not start this petition or agree to sign it. (Note, the petition was started by an already aggrieved parent who had no plans to return to Landmark prior to COVID closed every school in our country.). The petition and the fallout has cost an astounding number of teachers their jobs – the school has teachers who have been teaching children there for over 15 years and who are like family to the MANY satisfied families who have put their children through Landmark. Remote preschool is next to impossible. For a four year old, but almost certainly for a two or three year old. I will say that the dedication and visibility and access of my son’s preschool teacher extended far and beyond what my 6th grader was receiving at the acclaimed Bedford Middle School. But when your oldest child is two years old, and your feel entitled to try to rip apart an entire community, it is perhaps difficult to see the bigger perspective of the difficult situation the entire education community was facing this spring. I am sorry this was published without greater scrutiny of the parents who were not a part of this smear campaign against a school that many people consider part of their family. But there are a lot of facets to this prism and shining a light through just one has cost incredible damage.
Gery, A $2,000,000.00 PPP payment should cover all salaries, right? Will they be getting a second one next month? That could be another million, if they do. I really don’t have any ‘skin in the game’ here, but two million, or even 1.4 million is a lot of money. I’m 30 miles from DC and my daughter was telling me yesterday that if my three year old granddaughter doesn’t go to the pre-school this year, my daughter will still need to pay the $23,000 for the year to keep her place in the school for the following school year. Basically you pay full price and get nothing except assurances that the following year you’ll have a place at the school.
Jack- your daughter does not have to pay the 23k. More than likely she will still get a spot next year, and let’s be real this is not college. There are plenty of options. Seems like a privilege not a problem to even be able to contemplate just paying 23k to secure a spot for the following year.
And I do understand because I’m in the same boat with 4 kids at a private school. BUT this is a risk we are taking, and it is also a choice, a choice that we are even lucky to have when so many people right now can barely afford food because a lack of work. Count your blessings.
Thanks for the feedback.
So incredibly well said, Britney G!
Jack, the PPP amount is not entirely for Landmark Westport. Landmark Wesport operates under Ridgefield Academy which has three campuses (one has both a preschool and a K-8 school). The PPP loan to RA was not simply to fund Landmark Westport’s teachers.
And to be clear. We are talking about a petition writer who violated the school’s communication guidelines that she signed to access personal emails for a campaign specifically designed to inflict damage – reputations and financial. Every parent at Landmark signs this document and accessing the school’s email database for something like this petition goes against that policy. And it has cost people their jobs.
I was forwarded the petition by a friend, who was forwarded by his friend. The petition writers (there was a group) didn’t have everyone’s email, so they relied on word of mouth. If people didn’t feel strongly about these issues they wouldn’t have forwarded the petition to people they knew. I just want to clarify that for you.
Mary – I was emailed directly by Fei Fei (the originator of the petition). I have never met her and therefore I have no idea how she got my email. It is possible that she was given my email by someone who does know me but the fact that she felt that it was ok to email me the petition and assume that I felt the same was a violation of the school communication contract which she agreed to when becoming a member of this community. It was not appreciated by me or many others at the school. I just want to clarify that for you.
Thanks, Mary. I was actually emailed directly by the petition writer. I don’t know her. She didn’t introduce herself. And, yes, she violated her signed agreement by contacting me and others she didn’t know directly. You can’t use a public PTA directory this way either. I can’t speak to everyone, but I know many parents in this same category. I’m also not sure how many people who signed her petition thought it would be waged as an intense weapon in a media campaign against a school that cost jobs – thinking more likely it would help them get some money back. What is the end game of the reputational assault? I have three kids – two in the Westport Public Schools. Landmark offered far and away the best distance learning program of them all and without a doubt the most face-to-face time with my educator. There was no “absence of services.” There was an unprecedented event. There is a lot of discussion here of schools that offered refunds. I’m sure there are also schools that did not. What sets the Landmark parents apart from others who did not get what they may believe they are entitled to, which would amount to a nominal payment either way, is that they are seeking public vengeance against an institution and the people paying for that are the teachers that were working every day to commit to the kids in the best way they could. Shame on everyone.
How did the petition cost teachers their jobs?
You can find / figure out people’s email addresses pretty easily.
Can someone post up a copy of this “guideline” and clarify whether all must sign it or their kids cannot attend?
The petitioner asked parents signing to withhold their enrollment for the upcoming school year until their demands for a refund were met. When enrollment stalled, they needed to lay off teachers accordingly. They’re already dealing with the financial set back of re-outfitting their building and classroom for safety, investing in increased cleaning supplies and protocol, and training the teachers for distance learning should that come to pass again. Without deposits made, they couldn’t afford to keep all of their teachers. Fortunately, once the truth came to light, many people did re-enroll and express regret for joining the petition. Some (though not all) of the teachers have been re-hired.
The information about the head of school’s 2018 salary is intentionally misleading. That payment was made to the previous head of school and included contractual payouts as part of his retirement. It’s telling that the aggrieved parent has cherry-picked that old data without acknowledging the complete story.
Dan, I echo Gery’s disappointment that this piece went live without fact checking many of the claims made by one parent who had declared their child was not returning to Landmark and they were seeking a refund back before COVID was even a concern.
Like Gery, my family has considered Landmark our second family and home for the last several years. The teachers at Landmark are some of the best teachers – and human beings – I know. Despite the school operating at a DEFICIT once it had to close its doors in March, it delivered a remote experience far beyond that of anywhere else I’ve heard about – including our public schools. My then 4 year old was live in classes twice daily with her loving, doting teachers, and her daily plans were so compelling that often her older siblings joined in with excitement. My 1st grader did not just enjoy – but also benefited from much of Landmark’s remote plans along with his sister.
Additionally, it was not a secret that if we opted to withdraw from the school, we would have been able to seek a refund. The writer of the petition chose not to withdraw their child and instead attempted to work up other parents with emails and messages filled with half-truths (for example, like Matt pointed out – the salary listed for the head of school is inaccurate and deceptive). Landmark is a non-profit and relies on fundraising to operate. Once school shuttered, it lost a host of its fundraising opportunities for the school year – including the critical spring fundraiser and auction. The PPP loan covered the teachers’ pay and Landmark’s remaining funds then covered operating expenses. Additionally, the PPP amount is not entirely for Landmark Westport. Landmark Wesport operates under Ridgefield Academy which has several campuses. The PPP loan to RA was not simply to fund Landmark Westport’s teachers.
This smear campaign is infuriating to the majority of Landmark parents who have considered Landmark a second home for our children. If anything should be amplified, it should be the love and dedication that has come out of that building by some of the best teachers with the biggest hearts. My family is nothing but grateful for Landmark Westport.
Lisa, if you withdraw you lose all the deposits. We couldn’t go back because we are “high risk”, the school did not give us a single cent back.
I understand you might like Landmark, clearly over half of the school felt differently.
Kim, with all due respect, close to 75% of the school’s students are re-enrolled for the upcoming school year as of last month. So your claim that over half of the school felt differently is not supported by facts.
Regarding your deposits, the school agreement states clearly that deposits are non-refundable. However, they offer tuition insurance in which many families were enrolled.
So you are saying on top of losing our deposits ($1500), we should also pay tuition of $20,000 (even though we can’t attend school due to being high risk), JUST TO BE ABLE TO later exercise the insurance which gives only a fraction of the tuition back? I’m sorry but how does that make any sense?
My kids were attending three different preschools in the Spring, none of which offered tuition refunds?
Say what you want to rebuttal the petition. The matter is simple. I paid for preschool services for which Landmark did not provide. Of course COVID is at fault for shutting down the school. But, that is no excuse for Landmark not to return my hard earned money when we all know Landmark did not provide the services for which I paid tuition. This is basic business contract law. The business provides the services or product as contractually obligated to or there is a breach of contract for which Landmark administration is begging to be sued for.
All of you parents complain about service to your roof repairs, AC, oil furnace, landscaping when services do not meet your expectations and you get upset about paying the bill. You even watch the cashier at the supermarket to make sure he or she did not overcharge you for a produce product. But, you’re happy to allow Landmark to steal thousands of dollars from you. Makes absolutely no sense.
Justin – I am not sure if you have older kids but if you do I would ask if you have also asked the Town of Westport for a refund on your taxes. I have kids that were in public school in 6th and 2nd grade in addition to my son who was in pre-k at Landmark. At NONE of the levels of education was the services that I ‘paid’ for delivered. Because we have never seen a pandemic of this size in our lives! I would be curious to hear what you think the town should do if I were to complain that my 6th grader was not given the education that my tax dollars paid for.
I have no skin in the game but would be interesting to see the full contract. The contract should dictate in what circumstances refunds are / aren’t due. Many school contracts specifically say no refunds. You can bet contracts are being modified for the upcoming school year to specifically contemplate pandemics/coronavirus. Some companies were smart to include force majeure clauses in business contracts, some were not.
As for good will refunds, plenty of local preschools gave refunds, at least partial refunds, in good faith, even if their contracts said they didn’t have to. If they got a PPP loan, I’d be curious if it covered most of their rent/salary expenses, and that would be a pretty bad look if they still refused to issue any refunds, at least partial.
Julian, if you had an actionable complaint against Landmark, you’d be in court already. But you’re not. Instead, you’re sounding off in the comments of a blog, accusing hard-working, decent people of “stealing thousands of dollars.” That’s what makes absolutely no sense.
Landmark administrators were completely transparent about their finances and why refunds were impossible. They offered the best services they could provide during an unprecedented crisis. Many of us are happy Landmark did NOT breach their contract with teachers and staff, and instead, kept the school intact so that it could survive once this is over.
There are parents who see Landmark as an educational institution serving the community. Then there are others who compare it to landscaping. Difference of opinion, I suppose.
If you were so unhappy, you should have taken advantage of the tuition protection insurance and withdrawn your child. Didn’t have the insurance because you didn’t see a global pandemic coming? Well, don’t beat yourself up too badly. Lots of people didn’t see it coming. Take the L and move on. Just do us a favor and try not to burn the place down on your way out.
Well said, Matt. Thank you.
Plenty of preschools offered refund, some full, some partial. Examples: A Child’s Place, Earthplace, Greens Farms Nursery School, Learning Community, just to name a few in Westport. Check out other towns too, way too many
You have evidence that multiple Westport preschools offered a FULL refund for the school year due to the pandemic? Even though the school year was 2/3 complete? That’s a wildly generous act. I did not get any refunds for my kids’ sports or activities, nor did it occur to me to ask for one as I assumed it would bankrupt these small businesses. Please share which Westport preschools gave full refunds for the entire school year.
Petra, that has been my feeling exactly. So many people – if they had the financial means – spoke out on Facebook, to friends and even right here on Dan’s page about supporting our local community businesses, buying gift certificates from shuttered stores and restaurants, and paying domestic workers, from house cleaners to nannies, who weren’t able to work while we were locked down. Why would our preschool be any different? Why wouldn’t we financially support them (if we are able) as well? I don’t see how bankrupting our non-profit beloved preschool is a win for anyone.
As I responded to someone above, close to 75% of the school’s students are re-enrolled for the upcoming school year as of last month. So any claim that over half of the school felt differently is not supported by facts. Additionally, I’ve spoken to a number of parents who signed the petition based on misleading statements made by the petitioner and when facts began to come out, not only regretted signing on, but re-enrolled their children.
Also, Dan – when did you begin allowing anonymous comments? This disclaimer is still in bold above the comment box: “COMMENTERS MUST FILL OUT THEIR REAL FULL NAMES, AND PROVIDE THEIR REAL EMAIL ADDRESSES!”
Sorry, Lisa – I was out tonight, and just saw the anonymous comment. I’ve removed it, and asked the commenter to repost using his real, full name.
Fei Fei – You have taken this crusade to an entirely new low. You are completely out of line to have written to Dan and gotten the entire town involved. You are absolutely entitled to your opinions but to then comment under the name of ‘Disappointed Parent’ is cowardly. You claim to not make this a smear campaign but I would really ask you what your intentions are by making this post public to our town. Do you feel good about the fact that teachers have not been resigned to be on staff next year because of the petition that you started? You emailed me unsolicited which is a breach of the school communication bi-laws. You have not upheld the Landmark sense of community which I have been a part of and cherished for 9 years. Again, you can have your opinion but to put this out as a town issue is ridiculous and embarrassing for you. Please know that this is a small town and many people will remember how you acted to achieve your goal in this matter.
The behavior of the individual who started the petition is the thing that’s wrong here. If you were disappointed by the services provided, then you should have availed yourself of the tuition insurance program and withdrawn your child. Didn’t sign up for the insurance because you didn’t see a global pandemic coming? Stop kicking yourself, and stop kicking everyone else around you. Lots of people didn’t see this coming. You’re not alone.
If you genuinely had a case for action against the school, you’d already be in court. But you don’t. So you’re waging war in the media and trying to destroy the school’s reputation with skewed data, lies and misinformation.
It was far more than two 15-minute Zoom meetings a week. That is a lie. Nobody withheld information about the insurance program. You have to physically opt-out of it when you enroll your child. Another lie. The playground hasn’t been built because of town permitting. Another lie. And the school isn’t even called Landmark Academy. You should have the decency to at least properly name the institutions you’re trying to destroy because you feel so personally offended a global pandemic disrupted your Spring.
Some people lost a lot more than tuition. Now, because of coordinated disinformation campaign, some teachers won’t have jobs next year. Well done.
Honestly, some of these “disappointed parents” make the Monterey Moms on Big Little Lies seem like saints.
This is pure gold and why I read Dan, “Where Westport Whines to the World”.
Thank you for putting this together! This says it all.
I absolutely detest non-transparency! I wouldn’t hesitate to look elsewhere.
Ridgefield Academy, the head of school, Tom Main, and the board of trustees were completely transparent about why refunds can’t happen. I can send you a link to the Town Hall where it was discussed. I have friends at GFA; their refund was $200.
Petitioner has had a vendetta against the school since pre-pandemic, that she should come clean about. She has one child that’s two years old. I know of 2 families that signed the petition that told me they are now remorseful and I’m sure they’re are more given enrollment for next year.
Smart.
We were forwarded the petition by a friend, but too late for us to sign as it was already submitted to the school. We thought the letter was very professional, reasonable, and polite. It also addressed the wellbeing of the teachers. It was thoughtful and balanced. We would have signed it had we received it earlier.
Dan, you should have pulled this story as soon as you discovered all Landmark families had to actively opt out of paying the nominal insurance fee that protected them from an event like this. The debate regarding tuition reimbursement is happening at many schools across the country, some of which offered reimbursement and some of which did not. Landmark is not unique in this argument, but it is the only preschool in the area I am aware of that specifically offered families financial protection from such an event upfront. I actually think Landmark’s approach should be considered as perhaps the best model for addressing this issue going forward, removing all ambiguity at other private schools in the future. Perhaps adding a partial reimbursement to the coverage for families who want to continue with on-line learning would make the insurance option even better.
It’s unfortunate that you published an article full of misinformation (much of which has been pointed out by other posters). Actively damaging a school’s reputation should not be taken lightly. I’d also encourage the petitioner to relent because there is no reason to sully her own reputation, just as there is no reason to try to sully Landmark’s (a truly exceptional school, in my opinion). Too many of us already know the full story about her interaction with the school over this matter. I think it’s best for everyone to pull down this story and not push it other news outlets. Perhaps a story comparing different schools’ responses across the region, including Landmark’s preexisting solution of offering insurance coverage, would have made more sense.
It’s sad to see all this arguing. COVID-19 has been terrible and we’re all disappointed with how it has impacted us, but Landmark hasn’t done anything wrong and, in my case, has easily been well worth every penny spent over the past seven years. I hope we can safely open the doors again in the fall.
Beautifully stated, Robin. I agree.
Couldn’t agree more with Robin Lewis and Gery Grove. I’m just left with a bad taste in my mouth that this post was so poorly researched…
Landmark is a private preschool, no child is forced to go there. You didn’t like that you paid for the whole year while only getting 2/3 of the year in person and 1/3 of the year in distance learning during a global pandemic? Then go elsewhere this fall.
Thanks Dan for writing the story! My daughter was in Landmark Westport campus 2s program during 2019 to 2020 school year and her schedule is from 9am to 1pm from Monday to Friday. We loved all 4 teachers and greatly appreciated their kindness and hard work. With Covid-19 going on, the remote learning experience includes twice a week online meeting with the lead teacher and once a week meeting with each of the other 3 assistant teachers. The teacher also mailed some materials to our home and wrote a email daily about suggested activities for next day. But my daughter is only 2 and half years old and it’s hard for her to concentrate during the meeting for the whole time and I have to be with her at the meeting. The teachers are trying hard to make the meeting work but for young toddlers it doesn’t work that well. If I have to quantify, I think remote learning only accomplished 10% of the on-site school experience.
With landmark administration, I am very disappointed because they didn’t admit that remote learning cannot nearly accomplish on-site learning does and they didn’t state what options they have taken to try to get some refund/credit to the families. With Covid-19 going on, every family on earth was impacted, my husband and I have to work remotely and take care my daughter during the day. We have to work late nights or early mornings to make it work. And at the same time, we paid the full tuition to Landmark. How does that make sense to anyone? We should be paying ourselves with part of that tuition! Why Landmark administration is not trying anything to get some refund/credit to the families or at least tell us what they plan to do. This is not fair to the families. We were charged for the whole amount for only part of the service. ZERO refund/credit! I would think Landmark offer some kind of refund or credit at least as a courtesy to the families.
Jackie – this is the case for every dual working family in town who may have any level of kids. Should we all ask the town of westport for a tax credit since the public schools were not open and many had to care for their kids AND help them adjust to distance learning subjects like algebra and geometry so they can be ready for the next stage of their education?
Chrissy, public school is a different game, if you send your kids to private school instead of public school, you don’t get any tax dollars back. As you said, all families are working hard at home to educate their kids; some families suffer financially due to the pandemic. Everyone is in this together. I just don’t understand why Landmark couldn’t do something to share some of the burden. I am more disappointed by the attitude of the administration than any actual refund or credit.
Thanks for that clarification, Jackie. I spent 9 years with kids at Landmark and also 7 years with kids in public School so I definitely know the difference. Can I ask how old your kids are?
(Non Landmark parent) Jumping in here just to clarify a couple of points about the PPP and how it works. The loans were not granted immediately, nor were the funds made available swiftly. In order for these loans to be “forgivable,” i.e. not have to be paid back, the monies need to be used for expenses in the normal course of doing business. At least 60% of the money must be used for payroll, the remaining money can be used to cover business expenses (rent, mortgage, utilities). They examine a prior period (I think the 8 weeks prior to the loan) to gauge “normal” spending for the business.
The reason I am bringing this up is because one irritating feature of the PPP is that it can only be used going forward for 24 weeks; it cannot cover any retroactive expenses. Depending on the timing of Landmark’s PPP check, they could only pay salaries from it then forward. The payroll before that would be covered presumably from tuition received.
NBC also picked up the story. Saw this on the news. Landmark is famous (or infamous?).
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/parents-ask-for-refunds-from-westport-preschool/2307356/
I’m a mom of a pre-schooler. in Westport. I am seeing an incredibly selfish, entitled generation raising their pre-schoolers. I find many of the other mothers absolutely ruthless. I did not ask for, or expect a refund for when preschool was cancelled back in March for the rest of the year. My 3 years of living here, I see that an incredibly high amount of parents in this town, regardless of generation/age, have a terrible sense of self-entitlement. I am very sorry to hear this petition cost excellent, hard working teachers their jobs. I wish people thought more of how their legal actions could affect others who need their jobs.
Very well put Liz and spot on description of Westport parents.
Thank you. I appreciate that. It has been very difficult here finding genuine, nice parents. Stories of some of what I’ve experienced around here over the past couple years I tell my mom 78 year old mom she simply can’t believe.
I know they must be out there but what I have seen, especially this past year is very disheartening.