Despite the chilly day, Ariata Hernandez and her daughter Evelyn were at ProHealth Park in New Berlin Friday, along with more than 50 other people for a 'Park Pals' day.
Or what Ariati considers a can't miss event.
"It is in my calendar already and we will plan stuff around Park Pals,” said Ariati.
That's because for Ariati and other moms, Park Pals is the village they don't have.
"I had no family here. All my family is in Mexico,” said Ariati.
Her daughter, Evelyn was born two months premature in the middle of the pandemic and spent 48 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Due to COVID restrictions, Ariati and her husband could not even be in the hospital at the same time to be with their daughter. She said she felt so alone at a time when their family was struggling the most. After her daughter was out of the hospital and healthy, Ariati was looking for her own group of mom friends to feel connected.
"Most of the time it was me at home with her. That was it. So when Park Pals started it was perfect. I can get out of the house. She can socialize, I can socialize. We can have a life out of the house,” said Ariati.
Allison McGaver started the non-profit Park Pals in the middle of the pandemic after her son was born.
"I saw the need of other parents as well saying they are feeling isolated,” said Allison. "I kind of felt I know I could do something late one night, and I put together a Facebook group. I woke up the next day, to over a dozen people in the group,"
Today, there are more than 2,000 plus moms and dads who call themselves Park Pals. The group, through Allison, brings early childhood programming to Waukesha County parks for families for free. Allison is no stranger to helping people. When she isn't running Park Pals, she is helping the victims of the Waukesha Parade Tragedy. She is the outreach director of the United for Waukesha Resiliency Center. She says Park Pal is just another way she is helping people who are struggling.
"That has really been my passion, reaching the community, showing support for one another,” said Allison.
The next Park Pals is at ProHealth Care Park, 2950 S. Sunnyslope Rd., New Berlin on May 10 at 11 a.m.
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