East Mills Opens Child Development Center
Director Brittney Rimel cuts the ribbon outside the Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of East Mills.
East Mills Child Care Solutions President Meagan Schnoor welcomes visitors to the open house Saturday at the Lakin Foundation Child Developmnet Center Of East Mills in Malvern.
East Mills Child Care Solutions Vice President Kate McGann addresses visitors at the open house.
Visitors tour a room at the Lakin Foundation Child Developmnet Center Of East Mills at 905 2nd Ave. in Malvern.
The East Mills Community School District and Malvern community celebrated the opening of its new child care center with a ribbon cutting and public reception Saturday afternoon.
The Lakin Foundation Child Development Center Of East Mills opened Oct. 27. The opening culminates three years of planning and fundraising by the non-profit organization East Mills Child Care Solutions (EMCCS).
EMCCS raised nearly $5 million to turn the former skilled nursing care facility into a 17,000 square-foot child care center. Saturday’s program was attended by more than 100 donors and community members, including representatives from city and county government, East Mills Community School District and the Charles E. Lakin Foundation.
“I am just so elated that you’re all here sharing this day with us,” said Meagan Schnoor, EMCCS President.
Schnoor and other members of the EMCCS Board Of Directors thanked the community for its generous support of the project.
“On behalf of our board, our staff and the families we serve, I want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to every member of this community who has supported the child care center,” said EMCCS Vice President Kate McGann.
“This project was truly built by all of you through every act of generosity, large and small.”
EMCCS Secretary Katelin George shared some history about the 49-year-old building, which formerly housed the Manor Of Malvern skilled nursing facility. George said the child care center has the capacity to serve 134 children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.
Director Brittney Rimel said her goal is for the child care center to provide “a safe and loving environment for all the kids to come to.”
The center will house a preschool, before and after school child care (including bus transportation during the school year) and a summer program for children. The center’s hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.