Shannon McGuire Bowman, Coy Bowles and Jennifer Peshke. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LABAFF

Vero Beach experienced a supernova at the annual Starfest fundraiser to benefit Childcare Resources, which this year offered luncheon and dinner options at the Riomar Country Club.

Both featured music superstar Coy Bowles, best known as the guitarist and keyboardist for the Grammy Award-winning Zac Brown Band. He’s also a devoted father, children’s book author, and a dedicated advocate for early childhood education.

“The mission of Childcare Resources really speaks to me as a mother who is using early education services myself. As a parent working outside of the home daily, I know quality pre-K and early education and childcare provided during the workday is an invaluable resource for a family,” said Jennifer Peshke, board president in welcome.

Shannon McGuire Bowman, Childcare Resources executive director, said 2024 is an important year for them.

“It’s our 30th year providing vital services to this community. It’s 30 years of changing lives for children, families and teachers,” said Bowman.

She shared the story of one parent who found Childcare Resources after he “unexpectedly became a single parent, and very quickly realized he had no idea what he was doing.”

“Childcare Resources gave me what I call the foundation for me to be able to succeed and for my child, most importantly, to succeed and grow and to become a phenomenal human being,” he told her.

“We have grown from impacting 102 children in 2012 to now well over 4,000 children every single year,” said Bowman.

Through its various programs and initiatives, the nonprofit organization has made significant strides in enhancing the lives of children and families in Indian River County.

During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, 172 children benefited from early education services, 1,301 hours of therapeutic intervention were provided onsite, and 271 educators participated in professional development and career-advancing opportunities to fulfill their mission to promote high-quality early childhood development and education.

Bowles’ unique blend of musical talent and passion for education was captivating. It was easy to get caught up in his enthusiasm as he related his own story of early childhood advocacy through music and stories, even having the audience singing along to the band’s hit, “Chicken Fried.”

“Almost every single thing that I think that we need to make a change for within our early education system, there was an answer and a solution, and that was already happening,” said Bowles, of Childcare Resources, after having toured its facility.

“If I could take this and model it for the rest of our United States, it would just be one of the most amazing things, and I think that the level of early education would rise.”

Research has consistently shown that a child’s early years form the foundation for their future success. High-quality early childhood programs have been proven to enhance cognitive and social development, improve school readiness, and foster lifelong learning.

Childcare Resources recognizes the critical role that early childhood education plays in shaping the lives of children and families and, through its programs and services, strives to ensure that every child has access to the resources and support they need to thrive.

During the luncheon, Carol Buhl was presented with the Founders Award, which recognizes the impact of their most outstanding volunteers.

“The Founders Award is a way for us to honor the brilliance of our three amazing founders [Sandy Kahle, Sherry Waddell and Kathy Marshall] by honoring a volunteer every year for everything they do for us,” said Bowman.

The next day, Bowles presented a seven-hour professional workshop for 160 teachers as part of the nonprofit’s series of free programs for local preschool teachers.

For more information, visit childcareresourcesir.org.

Photos by Stephanie LaBaff