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Childcare society board members looking for Falher reps
Emily Plihal
for Smoky River Express
The Smoky River Regional Childcare Society board members are urgently searching for members to represent Falher.
Currently there are two representatives from McLennan, two from Donnelly and one from the MD of Smoky River, but no interest has been shown from individuals from the town of Falher.
“When we got looking at where the volunteers were from we realized that a big part of our region was not represented,” says FCSS director Penny Fox. “If no one from Falher is stepping forward to be part of the society, does that tell us that we should locate in another community?”
The group has decided that in the next few weeks they will scan the community to see if they can find two representatives from Falher and one from Girouxville. They will also be going to Donnelly and McLennan to check if there is any available space in those communities to use as a daycare.
“It is unfortunate that we are not seeing an interest from Falher and Girouxville,” says Fox. “The surveys that were completed last year indicate that many families in the western part of our region want daycare services. We expected that we would see interest from all across the region to get the daycare going.”
Two months ago, High Prairie School Division offered an available space at Ecole Routhier to use as the daycare facility. The space was once used as a daycare facility so very little work would be required to get the daycare up to government standards.
The school, located in Falher, has moved their Kindergarten class into the main building of the school, creating a space in the current playschool building. The playschool building is located south of the main school building.
The building has been offered to the playschool at no charge for another year, however; there is still an additional spot vacant for another program.
“The community must put some work into creating the society and proving that they can be self-sustaining and viable before the government will pass along any grant money,” says Fox.
“People may want the service, but before you can drop off your children at the new daycare, there has to be work done by the society first to get the service open and operating.”
For the past year, Smoky River FCSS director Penny Fox and Economic Development officer David Kane have been scanning the community to determine the feasibility of a daycare in the region.
The group met last month to discuss a possible location for a new childcare facility in the Smoky River Region. However; in order to make this daycare become a reality, additional board members are required for help and ideas to make the facility a success.
Smoky River Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) director Penny Fox explains a society has been created to operate the centre.
“Without a society we won’t have a daycare,” says Fox. “We need to look to a registered society to operate the daycare, as there is no private interest to do this as a business in our region.”
Fox explains between six and eight people are required to form the first board of directors for the society. The designated people will need to take a one-year term on to help secure a space for the facility, apply for the making spaces grant, licensing, and setting up the daycare’s policies, procedures and staffing requirements.
Fox says anyone with an interest in childcare or finance would be an asset to the team.
“We are looking for people with all kinds of skills,” says Fox. “Management experience would be a great asset to the board. It would also be nice to find those interested in childcare services, budgeting and financial knowledge, as well as someone with administrative and organizational skills.”
Fox explains once a manager is hired for the facility, less involvement will be required from the board.
If you are interested in becoming involved with the society, please call Penny at FCSS at 780-837-2220 or Dave Kane at 780-837-2364.
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