Help for Patty Smrt and Family

We at the Loma Prieta Home and School Club set out to help Patty by setting up this GoFundMe page for our very special Patty Smrt! She is our School's Director of transportation and bus driver of over 30 years!

Patty is an exceptionally kind human being that’s now lost every bit of her life savings just 2 years short of retiring … She and her husband put every penny into their retirement home in what’s not so much Paradise, CA any longer…. spending the last 3 years repairing the fixer upper home themselves with every spare moment and dollar they had to do so… and now it’s all ashes…

For those that have had children at Loma Prieta or CT School and have ridden the school buses know Patty Smrt well… She’s a pillar of love and safety for our children and never fails to go above and beyond for our kids, this school district, and her other Bus Drivers that work in the Transportation Dept.

Patty’s daughter,  Theresa, was in the home when the fire began and barely escaped the flames by the hair of her chinny chin chin, as did her animals… which is what Patty is most grateful for… but she’s lost the entire house, and 3 car garage with an enormous amount of tools and vehicles with it. Like most they didn’t take pictures of all their improvements over last 3 years because they “were always just working like crazy” when there…. Insurance will more than likely short them an enormous amount and they have much to do even before that cash hits their bank….

For those that don’t know her as well, but are still reading this (THANK YOU!)… she’s every single child’s 2nd mom on the bus in every way… She keeps them in line when they are too crazy, gives them hugs when they are feeling down, helps the shy ones stay in close view while making sure no one kid makes another kid feel sad (as kids do sometimes) and even gives their four-legged babies treats at every stop… A Loma Mom shared the following story about Patty that speaks volumes:

"My son was being bullied on the bus, she had tried to get the other kids to behave, but there is only so much she can do while driving. When she found out about the rough day he had, she showed up at our home after school hours, with a treat for him and literally cried while apologizing for not “protecting him”. She’s a gem of person…"

Patty wouldn’t think twice about helping a Loma kid or family when needed. Many of us have seen her take time and cash out of her own merit to help our community. It’s time we return the favor in earnest…

Patty will directly be withdrawing all funds gathered here and transferring to her account to allot to urgent needs like cutting and trimming of the many trees that remain but are a huge safety hazard… enormous amounts of debris removal, clean up, purchasing to replace tools needed to rebuild ... Items that insurance won’t cover immediately or generally. By donating here, you will be helping bridge the gap on all that Insurance will lack. 

Patty is keeping positive thoughts, but as you can imagine this is so overwhelming… Let’s show her out Mountain Love… donate what you can…. Any amount will add up and help.

Thank you!