Bethesda Childcare Center raising funds for new fence

Bethesda students get some fresh air on a walk around the neighborhood. The ODJFS is requiring the childcare center to install fencing around the yard. Photo by Jenna Portik

COVID-19 has brought on a number of challenges for us all, especially those who work in the field of early childhood education. If you have a child who has been e-learning this year, I’m sure you can attest to this now yourself.

Of course the goal for most of us, all along, has been to find a way to make in-person learning a success, while also keeping our children and our families safest. But what about the child care centers that don’t have the choice to be virtual? One of the first things we learned at the start of this pandemic was that if people don’t have access to child care, they can’t go to work.

Bethesda Childcare Center has made it our mission to not only remain open during the pandemic, but to continue to serve our children and families in the best way possible. From 3- to 5-year-olds in preschool/pre-K, to before and after care for kindergarten through 7th grade, they have luckily been able to make it work.

While there are not as many children walking the halls right now due to a limited capacity, the children within those walls couldn’t be happier. From cooking classes to science experiments, community service projects and more, the goal has been to provide quality programs, and now more than ever, to provide an escape for these kids who are living through a pandemic, and handling it much better than most adults!

Another road block that has come about for Bethesda Childcare Center during this time was an inspection by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in summer 2020, which determined the center must put up enough fencing to completely enclose the grassy area in which the children play each day. If you are familiar with the center, this large open area is one of the best features of the outdoor space and has allowed the children to get fresh air and exercise at a critical time during the pandemic. 

While the center has been blessed with the ability to budget and save for this major project a bit, there is no doubt the need for any assistance we can get. On Saturday, Feb. 27, from 4-8 p.m., a fundraiser at the Chipotle in Westlake will be held to try and raise funds (flyer required). Donations are also being accepted; checks can be written out to Bethesda Childcare Center, and mailed to 28607 Wolf Road, Bay Village Ohio, 44140.
To receive the Chipotle flyer, or for more information about how you can help, email jenna.portik@bethesdaonthebay.org or call 440-808-8802.

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Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 10:10 AM, 02.02.2021