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When
her SCORE Bucks County mentor Carl Rubin told Ashleigh Hill she was “one of the
most passionate, organized people,” the entrepreneur strived to live up to
the sentiment. vertical-align:baseline"> vertical-align:baseline">
Hill,
of Hatfield, had already opened The Barn Yard, a 13,000-square-foot “imagination-based” Collegeville
play area for kids ranging from crawling infants up to 10 years old. vertical-align:baseline"> vertical-align:baseline">
In
addition to serving as a meetup for local parents to unwind with a cup of
coffee while their children play freely, and a destination for families as far
away as New York and Delaware, Hill dreamed up ways that the center could foster
community. In 2023, The Barn Yard became a partner of the Adalyn Rose
Foundation, a nonprofit that supports families grieving the loss of a child
during pregnancy, infancy, or early childhood.vertical-align:baseline">
“Part of growing a family is the loss of children that nobody
gets to see,” said Hill, who had a miscarriage before her second daughter was
born. She decided to collaborate with the Foundation “so that nobody feels
alone in those dark moments.”
The Barn Yard raised approximately $4,000 for the nonprofit
and partnered with them to have a rose garden play structure included.
“They can play in the rose garden,” Hill said of children who
visit. “This is a memorial to all the kids that don’t get to play here.”
The center hosts monthly sibling support groups for children
who have lost siblings. A Remembrance Ball in winter featured a visit from
Santa Claus, as well a white balloon drop with the names of children who had
died.
The Barn Yard itself continues to expand its offerings with
the addition of an indoor basketball court, and a makeshift construction play
site highlighting the names of community builders “who inspired the spirit of
The Barn Yard,” Hill said.
“We are building a community at every facet,” she said.
“We’re a community.”
The center offers a summer camp, as well as various classes, including gymnastics, dance, yoga and pre-K readiness. The
Barn Yard hosts school field trips for youth in pre-K through first-grade
featuring lessons on community, farm life and STEM topics.
Throughout the month of August, The Barn Yard offers
half-price admission as it hosts kindergarten and Pre-K meet and greets for all
local school districts, with $2 from each ticket sale being donated to the
school hosted.
Weekend play sessions often sell out, but Hill is also happy
to have moms come in to pick up or donate baby wipes, baby formula and breast
pumps. Recently, The Barn Yard donated more than $700 worth of specialty
formula to a child in the foster system.
Since opening in March 2022, Hill no longer meets regularly
with Rubin and her other SCORE mentor, Nina De Rosa. However, her mentors
helped to build the foundation for her center’s success through idea
brainstorming and “giving me the confidence to go forward,” Hill said. She also
knows they are available to her anytime she needs help. SCORE mentors build
relationships with clients. Mentoring has no expiration date.
Hill appreciates De Rosa keeping tabs on her business and
relishes her mentor’s ringing endorsements via social media.
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Next
to her SCORE mentors, Hill’s sister, Sarah Schiele, who co-owns The Barn Yard
with her, acts as her “general.” vertical-align:baseline">
“After two years being in business with your sibling, you
really realize how strong your bond is,” Hill said. “She keeps all my ducks in
a row as I throw new ducks at her.”
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Schiele,
in addition to coordinating birthday parties, formalizes her sister’s various
ideas, which have included a partnership with Greyson’s Gang and the Eagles
Autism Foundation for a spring fundraiser which featured Eagles cheerleaders,
Swoop and local businesses; a collaboration with CHOP to bring health-safe
nights of play to kids who are immunocompromised; and a partnership with
C.A.R.I.E. to help connect families with elderly support as families’ parents
age.
“We
founded the Barn Yard on the idea that it takes a village to raise our
kids … and we were that village,” Hill said. “However, since we opened the
idea of community and giving back has taken on something so much bigger than we
ever imagined. Our facility is about caring for the entire family from
conception to elderly care and everything in between.”
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About SCORE
Since
1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year,
SCORE provides small business mentoring and workshops to more than
375,000 new and growing small businesses.?With more than 70 members across
Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties, SCORE Bucks?County?provides over
4,300 free mentoring services annually to local small
business owners through one-on-one counseling and small business
seminars. To stay up to date on news and happenings, join SCORE Bucks
County’s email list. Text SCOREBUCKS to 22828.
