Our Founders, The Ploofs, owned and operated Stepping Stones Children's Center for 35 years creating this magical play-based preschool in the heart of Burlington’s South End. As they neared retirement, a group of motivated and dedicated parents jumped in and spent the better part of two years working to find a way to keep the legacy of Stepping Stones alive (and keep the doors open)! Over the course of the last 2 years, we formed a board to incorporate, fundraised to purchase the program and the building, and obtained our 501(c)3 non-profit status with the intent to keep the school open for another 35 years! Our vision for the program is to become an affordable high quality child care center, through increasing access to families experiencing barriers, hiring and retaining high quality staff, and continuing to broaden and strengthen our relationship with the community.

As part of our effort to grow community connections we are thrilled to have local artist, Charlotte Dworshak, host a delightful evening of painting and libations in the Stepping Stones back yard on Saturday, May 24th from 4:30-7. All proceeds go to Stepping Stones' General Fund, which helps assure that the program can continue to support high-quality early-childhood education into the future.

Charlotte is a Vermont-based artist and photographer living and working in Burlington’s south end arts district. Though her medium of the moment is likely to vary when inspiration strikes, she primarily works in acrylic on paper, canvas, and panel. She is consistently and reliably inspired by Vermont’s ever-changing land and lake as well as the northeastern ocean landscape.

Spring Paint & Sip

Get creative with Charlotte Dworshak and friends in the Stepping Stones garden while supporting their high quality early-childhood education work.