I am reminded over and over again how even though we may come from a small community, there are many people that have BIG hearts.

The Kiwanis group in Emmetsburg advocates year round for the betterment of children in the community. From hosting breakfasts, donating outdoor equipment, and helping current and future programs for children, these dudes have you covered!

On January 20th, in the stormy snow conditions, the Emmetsburg Education Center partnered with the Kiwanis to host a pancake and omelet breakfast.

We can not tell them “THANK YOU!” enough for the generosity, thoughtfulness, and commitment for our community.

great-great grandma and baby – 100 years apart in age

“Zwischen”- its a German word that best translates to the English word of “between”. When German’s explain the word, its more than just “between”, it’s this time with one foot in two separate worlds, hovering between both here and there.

This morning when I stared out my window, I recognized we are in one of nature’s greatest transitions/in-betweens. The “zwischen” of winter and spring. It’s neither winter nor spring, it is a giant sloppy, muddy mess of wonderfulness.

As we push our thoughts towards Spring (green grass, sprouting flowers, rainy days) or even going further into Summer, we miss the opportunity to embrace and recognize the beauty of the current state of transition we are in.

The crunching of ice beneath our boots, the snowball fights with little snow gear on, the mixing of snow and mud in our outdoor mud kitchen, the after-supper neighborhood walks without freezing, and so on.

But zwischen is so much more…it is the recognition that life is full of transitions of all size: an infant learning to sit, a four year old preparing for preschool, the moment we sit and wait for results from the doctor to be relayed to us, the summer between high school and college, the last few days of pregnancy, becoming an empty nester, a marriage dissolving, realizing that you require more specialized care in a long-term care setting, knowing you are in your final days of life.

How can we recognize and embrace nature’s transitions by seeing the beauty they offer us and others?

We are so excited to announce OPENING DAY as October 26, 2015! Our business hours will be 7:00am-5:30pm. We have hired some amazing staff members and are still looking for 1-2 more childcare teachers that would be a good fit for our team. If you or someone you know is interested, please send an email, including: resume or work experience, contact information, and interest in the position to info@emmetsburgeducationcenter.com.

ENROLLMENT INFORMATION-

We will be taking enrollment on Thursday, October 22, 2015. Details on times and contact information coming soon.

Starting a quality child development center is no easy feat! The Emmetsburg Education Center became a thought in November of 2014 and slowly grew into a reality. At times, it feels like our progress is moving slowly but when we look back at all we’ve accomplished in the past 9 months, it is quite tremendous. Professional networks have been established, our board of directors has been finalized, our business plan was constructed, and fundraising and grants have started (some already approved).

For roughly 4 months, we scoured the town of Emmetsburg for a suitable permanent location that would meet DHS and Fire Marshal requirements. We came up empty-handed, resulting in our quest for a temporary location that would meet our needs. Even with a temporary location, certain stipulations are required- one of them being a bathroom that meets ADA standards and a back ramp that cribs can be evacuated down in the case of an emergency.

We’ve hired a contractor to take care of these requirements and are starting to purchase our furnishings. As much as we hoped our center would be open with the start of the school year, it appears that an October start date is more realistic. We will continue to update as we narrow down our official open date! We thank everyone for their patience as we continue to work hard to create a child development center in Emmetsburg that will have a lasting impact on the community!

Our sign being hung on Labor Day! Celebrating all the fruits of our labor this year.

Just a few more finishing touches to the exterior and it is complete.

Board members, family, and friends have been busy getting our temporary location ready for our grand opening! Here are a few shots of our progress thus far on the facade.

The vents and ducts were professionally cleaned and new filters were installed; painting and demo has begun on the inside. We are anxious to get everything finished and opened.