The Sandbox
Mary Simon moved to Monterey after she retired in 2015, turning her new garage into a woodworking shop. When the Covid – 19 pandemic hit, she reassessed her life. The former science and math teacher realized she was missing something from her last career as founder and executive director of the Resource Area for Teachers, or RAFT, in San Jose. Namely, she missed helping making teachers happy by providing free materials to create inspiring lessons and crafts for their students. She gave her garage a complete makeover, turning it into a teacher supply “store” named The Sandbox, filled with cast-off items like empty tennis-ball cans, plastic lids and cardboard tubes, as well as newer yarn, beads, stickers and much more. Teachers can come to The Sandbox and take away anything they want for free. Simon is always at the ready to offer advice and ideas for lesson plans. “This is my happy place,” she told the Weekly in May 2022.