Former Students Launch Fundraising Campaign For Walnut Creek Teacher

A group of former students has rallied to help a Walnut Creek Intermediate School teacher who suddenly finds himself as a single father raising four adopted children.

Jeff Loving lost his wife, Brenda, to cancer on Nov. 9 and is now struggling emotionally as well as financially as he tries to care for his four children from Ethiopia.

In the past week, Loving’s former students have sprung into action, setting up a fundraising page as well as a basketball game on Wednesday night, the proceeds of which will go to the Loving family.

The fundraising page on gofundme.com was set up by Aly Walsh, who had Loving as a teacher at WCI. As of Tuesday afternoon, the page had raised more than $28,000 from 398 donors in six days.

“Mr. Loving has given so much to the community,” said Walsh. “It’s time for us to give back to him.”

The fundraising drive is personal for Walsh. She’s not only a former student, but her father, Don Walsh, coached basketball at Las Lomas High School with Loving for years. Walsh’s mother was also friends with Loving’s wife Brenda.

Walsh graduated from Las Lomas High in 2007 and San Diego State in 2011. She and her business partner, Leida Ebrahimi, opened the Blow Dry Bar in downtown Walnut Creek last year.

When they heard about Brenda Loving’s death, they went to neighboring businesses to collect donations to help their former teacher.

Walsh then got the idea to start the fundraising page. They also put up a Facebook page and got 1,500 “likes” in the first day.

“It just blew up overnight,” she said.

Now, organizers of the annual alumni basketball game at Las Lomas High have decided to donate the proceeds from the contest to the Loving family. Walsh said they’ve been contacted by former students from as far away as Nevada and Seattle who say they’re coming.

The girls alumni game starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday with the boys game at 7 p.m.

Walsh said she’s gratified by the response, but she’s not surprised.

“Mr. Loving has always been a big part of the community,” she said.