Albany Preschool mom Joy Knott wrote Thursday to share news about a special project at the school, an igloo of milk jugs donated by Solano businesses.

"We worked all morning to hot glue 267 milk jugs together to create the igloo. It will be a magical surprise for the children when they return to school on Monday. Most of the milk jugs were donated by Viro and Fernando at Royal Grounds Coffee on Solano as well as a few from Peet's on Solano.... It's definitely warmer inside the igloo than out!"

Knott said the igloo is the first of its kind at the school. It was built by six parents with help from eight children.

"The guys at Royal Grounds were so great in collecting (and even rinsing) the milk jugs. I'd go in to the cafe, get my daily latte, and walk out with 10 jugs," Knott wrote, adding that the igloo could become a tradition "because it was so much fun."

"So many themes to explore with this project -- weather, ice, snow, counting, and the virtues of recycling and reusing!" she continued.

The school will be open to the public Saturday, Jan. 8 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. to view, and play inside, the igloo.