Saxapahaw Village Kids Preschool to Reopen After Tropical Storm Damage

Renee Lynch, who has run Saxapahaw Village Kids Preschool inside Saxapahaw United Methodist Church for more than a decade, announced the program will reopen March 2 after months of repairs following Tropical Storm Chantal. Lynch said, “We are really happy to have our reopen date on March 2nd. We’ve been on this journey for quite a while now. We finally have the end in sight. We’re excited to welcome our families back and our kids back into our classrooms.”

The preschool closed after the Haw River overflowed during Tropical Storm Chantal in July 2025, sending several inches of rain into the church interior and pushing flood waters “as high as the basketball hoop outside the building.” Interior areas that house the preschool were damaged; furniture and classroom supplies were lost or ruined and required replacement.

After the flooding, Lynch secured an emergency relocation license to continue operations off-site at Saxapahaw Bethlehem Church. “We had a temporary license for space at the Saxapahaw Bethlehem Church and that was a 90-day license. We have been in a closed state until we can be back in,” Lynch said, describing how the program moved under the short-term arrangement while the primary facility was out of service.

Repair crews worked for months to remodel the church interior. The work included installing new floorboards and replacing much of the furniture, while classroom supplies were replenished through donations and targeted fundraising. Lynch noted the role of volunteers, saying a number of “good Samaritans have lent a helping hand,” and acknowledged community fundraising that helped bridge costs during the closure.

Local institutions and businesses joined recovery efforts. The Alamance Chamber’s recovery pages list a Saxapahaw Forward wishlist dated July 15, 2025, and organizers point to coordinated community support for families and small businesses affected by the storm. Poison Ivy Brewing ran a Hops for Hope fundraiser that directs proceeds to the United Way of Alamance County; event rules include a minimum donation of $100 to secure a 15-minute dunk tank slot and a promise that $1 from every beverage sold at the event will be donated. Event organizers asked interested supporters to contact Casey at casey@poisonivybrewing.com, and the Alamance Chamber identified Reagan Gural as a staff contact at reagan@alamancechamber.com for businesses seeking assistance.

Enrollment pressure is already apparent: reporting notes that many students are currently on the waitlist as Saxapahaw Village Kids prepares to reopen. The local broadcast station posted video coverage and shared the story on social media; one social post on X by FOX8 WGHP appeared alongside the coverage.

With the March 2 reopen date set, Lynch and local partners move from recovery to operations, welcoming children back into classrooms rebuilt after the Haw River overflowed in July 2025.