Split over two days, a sellout crowd of roughly 450 guests attended the annual Childcare Resources Starfest luncheons last Monday and Tuesday at the Quail Valley River Club, featuring inspirational speaker Allison Massari.
“I think it’s marvelous that Childcare Resources is so successful in garnering community support that they have to do their fundraiser over two days,” said Suzanne Bertman. “I wish we had five or six Childcare Resource Centers; we do need more of them. I would put my grandchildren there in a heartbeat.”
Following a delicious luncheon of fruited-chicken salad with a lemon meringue tart and chocolate star cookies for dessert, board president Katy Block Faires thanked Judy Munn and Karla Spooner for co-chairing yet another great fundraiser.
Faires related that the mission of Childcare Resources is to elevate and promote high-quality early childhood development and education to economically challenged children and families. “We serve the families who fall through the cracks.”
There are currently 112 children in the program, with a wait list of more than double that amount, 267. Parents work, attend school or combine the two, and earn between 150 percent and 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
“We like to say we are in the business of building brains, because we know that high-quality early childhood education is critical to the development and success of our children.
A video highlighted one mother’s appreciation for the school’s exceptional teachers and nurturing environment, as well as for the opportunity to take parenting classes. She said that what her daughter is learning now will enable a smooth transition into kindergarten.
“If there’s only one thing you take home with you today, go home knowing that the parents are so grateful for your support,” said Executive Director Shannon McGuire Bowman. “They pay between 15 and 30 percent of the total tuition for the children, and they know that you make up the rest. And they are so grateful.”
Commenting on a little girl’s T-shirt that read “The best is yet to come,” Bowman said, “How perfect!”
Bowman said that a gift to Childcare Resources will last a lifetime, noting that children with access to a high-quality early education center become better students, are more likely to graduate high school, consider college and hold a steady job, and they’re 75 percent less likely to ever commit a violent crime.
“You’re not just impacting the children and the families; you’re really impacting the entire community,” said Bowman.
Massari shared the moving story of surviving a horrific car accident, against all odds. Trapped and consumed by flames, she said that worse than the agony of the burns was the anguish of feeling she would die alone.
“Sometimes all it takes is one person to change a life; one person can make a difference,” said Massari, relating how one brave man rushed to her aid. She has since established the Roger Pepper Adventure Camps, for children and teens with severe burn injuries, in his honor. Reiterating that everything we do makes a difference and that every act of kindness counts, she stressed, “We cannot underestimate what our kindness and care can bring to someone.”
Later, emphasizing importance of never giving up, she said, “We are all capable of overcoming incredible trials.”