Callaway answers need for quality day care
In January of this year, parents with children in
CALLAWAY -
Callaway’s daycare faced a serious dilemma. They received very short notice that their daycare would be closing.
“It was a couple days notice,” Julianna Jenkins said. “All of a sudden, there was no daycare. There was no other option for them to go to.”
Thus began work that has resulted in the formation of 7 Valley Kids Daycare. Jenkins, along with Chelsea Williams, M.D., Christy Pitkin, Kendra Myers and Haylea Rynearson are board members.
Daycare has been “piece meal” since early in the year. Grandmothers, friends and community members are caring for children until 7 Valley Kids opens in mid-August.
Plans are for the new daycare to use the United Methodist parsonage.
The pastor at the church retired and Jenkins said the church probably will not get a full time pastor. The church was contacted and asked if they could use the parsonage as a daycare. “And it snowballed from there,” Jenkins said.
A fund raiser was held on Saturday for the daycare. Suzanne Longmore was one of the organizers.
“We’re hoping to get funds to purchase things for it (the daycare),” Longmore said. “The UMC Circle of Friends organized the fund raiser.”
According to Pitkin, nearly 200 people attended. “We fed between 180 and 190 people.,” she said. “It was a great turnout and people were very supportive.”
Food was donated for the fund raiser by Skeeter Barnes, owned by Jim and Julianna Jenkins.
Rynearson will be the daycare’s executive director. She has an early childhood education degree. Jenkins called Rynearson “perfect” for the job.
The 12 available slots in the daycare are already filled. Nine of those slots are full time with the other three “split” into two part-time slots each. That means a total of 15 children can be cared for. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
There will be two full time employees. The board is seeking a person for a part-time position as well as substitutes. 7 Valley Kids Daycare is fully licensed and is a non-profit.
Jenkins said the cost must be affordable.
“Everyone is affected by daycare, especially normal working moms. We are not-for-profit. We just want to provide high quality daycare. That is really our goal.”
Pitkin emphasized the importance of daycare as well, saying, “If young couples are thinking of moving to Custer County or Callaway and there’s not quality daycare, they’re probably not going to make the move. It’s vital that we have daycare. It’s not just Callaway’s problem; this is a problem found in a lot of towns.”
Grants have been received from the Callaway District Hospital Foundation, the Custer County Foundation and Nebraska Health and Human Services.
It’s hoped the daycare will be open in time for the school year. “I am super excited,” Jenkins said.