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Volunteers help preschool near completion
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Ainslee S. Wittig/Range News Helping hands: From left, Toby Collins, Howard Bethel, Mary Sue Houser and Bob Coder are some of the many who have been instrumental in building this community preschool. |
By Ainslee s. Wittig/Arizona Range News
After about 6,120 hours of work by volunteers, the Wesleyan Preschool and Daycare Center in Willcox is just about ready.
"I've never worked on a job where people have been more willing to help and contribute - not just church members, but people within the community. We've had people just come by and say, 'This looks like a good project; I'd like to help,'" said Toby Collins, who has volunteered his time overseeing construction since the groundbreaking Feb. 15. "It's kind of inspiring,"
The Wesleyan Preschool started in 1990 for three- and four-year-olds. In 1999, it expanded to include all-day daycare, "because it was needed by the community," said Ruthann Fewell, who directed the center from 1996 until last year. She is now lead teacher and assistant director.
"We had people continuously asking for infant and toddler care, and I kept thinking, we could live in this building (at the Willcox United Methodist Church), but there's such a need in this community for more," Fewell said. And she began talking to the church's preschool board.
Mary Sue Houser, the preschool/daycare's director, said they realized in 2003 that the Department of Economic Security also needed certified daycare to help provide for families so parents could go to work.
The Willcox United Methodist Church made a decision to continue expansion of the preschool/daycare program and put the wheels into action.
"And when we got money, we thought, we can really do this," Fewell said.
Methodist Church Pastor Stewart Elson said he has been so impressed by this community project, including the volunteer hours spent by congregation and community members alike, building, supporting and donating equipment and funds.
"It really pulls people together ... not only the congregation, but the community as well. One of the goals for this building is for it to be an asset to the community. We want to it to be a place where adults can be trained in early childhood development, and also where community members can attend classes on parenting and nutrition," said Elson, whose wife Polly has been a liaison with the University of Arizona and Cochise College to work toward those goals.
Elson added that his congregation has continued with the ministry mission of the church even though so much work has been put toward the building.
While it's been a blessing to have the support of the Methodist Church, it also makes it difficult to receive donations from those whose bylaws do not allow faith-based donations, Houser said.
Fortunately, a $300,000 loan and $50,000 grant, both from USDA Rural Development through the federal Faith-Based and Community Initiative, has enabled the project to get this far.
"It also helped that Western Bank of New Mexico supplied us with interim money. It's important to have funds when we need them. They've been real good for us," Collins added.
"We're still shooting for $50,000 more. We don't need it to move in, but there are still things we need or need to pay for (fire alarm system, and things for outside, like shade and playground equipment)," he said.
"We have been fortunate enough to have a matching donor come forward for up to $25,000. And that's great, because if we can find $25,000, we're there!"
Anyone wishing to donate, and have their donation matched dollar for dollar, should contact the preschool at 507-3482 or the church at 384-3482.
"We've had about 75 people come in and volunteer to help get this building up," Collins said.
"Usually about six people per day, at least five days a week, if not six. That's a lot of hours," said Howard Bethel, a volunteer who has helped with "whatever there is to do that day" for nearly nine months.
Bethel estimated about $300,000 worth of volunteer hours, and an appraised value of the 5,000 square-foot building at about $800,000 total (including labor).
And, he said, the project is economic development for Willcox, as it is expected to employ 12 full-time people eventually and provide training for early childhood education students and daycare for parents who want to work.
"The most amazing thing is the timeliness of people showing up to help when we needed them," said Claire Owen, who has volunteered since the start.
There was "Tom", who showed up to build frames for two or three weeks; certified welder Fred Bretz, who showed up all day for several weeks when those helping on their days off (Gilbert Davidson, Ray Nevin and Gene Moreman of AEPCO) couldn't find time to get it all finished; and others like Les Smith and Barry Van Renen, who put so much time into helping; not to mention Houser being available for the directorship and the church member who came forward to match donations dollar for dollar, Owen said.
"A real qualified person would show up to volunteer at the moment we needed them. It's been amazing," he said.
The list of those who have helped with the project is too long to add to this article, but people have shown up to help from every area of the community, and outside of it, Houser and Bethel agreed.
From the ladies at the church who made lunch every day for volunteers, to the specialists who came in to volunteer just when they were needed, without being called, Houser said.
From Donna Matthews at Coronado Resources Conservation & Development and Eddie Browning, state director of USDA Rural Development, who helped get the grant and loan for the project from USDA Rural Development. The loan was the first to be approved in Arizona under President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative, Bethel said.
"Both SSVEC and Union Pacific have given us grants, with which we bought equipment. The (Willcox) Police Department gave us a crossing guard sign for our after-schoolers coming from the elementary school. Dollar General gave us a reading program for kids," Houser said.
The Blake Foundation and Valley TeleCom Group also made equipment donations, much needed at the preschool.
Houser added that service organizations such as the Masons and Shriners have donated money for families that need scholarships for school, and the Willcox Elementary School has worked with Wesleyan preschool children to be sure they are screened for disabilities through the Child Find Act.
There is still construction to be done, including stucco on the outside patio walls, curbing in the front of the building, painting, carpeting, vinyl flooring and polishing cement, Collins said.
"But, it's all coming together," Collins said. "You walk into the building (with its high ceiling and window light) and say 'Wow!'"
Owen said, "At this point, we're wanting local churches to say, "We want to be your mission.' We need money to finish paying for the building. Daily operations will probably be subsidized, because we want daycare to stay affordable for people here. It's a local thing, and instead of finding a mission on the Internet, the preschool can be their mission. They can come visit it and see how it's helping the community anytime."
"We're shooting for an inspection date of Oct. 26. We're hoping to make it by that deadline," Houser said.
Consecration of the building with Bishop Minerva Carcano is scheduled for Dec. 17, Elson said.
When the land where the building now stands first became available, it was well before the Willcox United Methodist Church or Wesleyan Preschool started thinking about the project, Houser said.
"We didn't even know what we were going to do with it, maybe use it as parking," she said, adding later that she realized God must have had a plan.
Fewell concurred. "God really had a hand in this. When we really needed something, all these donations and all the help came at a time when we were thinking, 'How are we going to do this.'"
Teary-eyed over the enormity of the project and how wonderfully it has come together, Houser said, "I can't believe Howard and Toby and Bob (Coder) and Claire (Owen) have been out here every day for nearly a year. I'm sure they had other things to do."
Collins laughed, "I can't complain about the help ... especially when they are free."
Bethel, who likely speaks for many of the volunteers, said, "I feel like I've been in it for nine months, and I'm ready to give it up."
Houser replied, "You know a lot of men say that and us women laugh (because they really don't know what nine months of pregnancy is like), but I think there are quite a few men here (on this project) that are legit. I know they are tired and have worked very hard. I think this time, they can say that."
"I've never worked on a job where people have been more willing to help and contribute - not just church members, but people within the community. We've had people just come by and say, 'This looks like a good project; I'd like to help,'" said Toby Collins, who has volunteered his time overseeing construction since the groundbreaking Feb. 15. "It's kind of inspiring,"
The Wesleyan Preschool started in 1990 for three- and four-year-olds. In 1999, it expanded to include all-day daycare, "because it was needed by the community," said Ruthann Fewell, who directed the center from 1996 until last year. She is now lead teacher and assistant director.
"We had people continuously asking for infant and toddler care, and I kept thinking, we could live in this building (at the Willcox United Methodist Church), but there's such a need in this community for more," Fewell said. And she began talking to the church's preschool board.
Mary Sue Houser, the preschool/daycare's director, said they realized in 2003 that the Department of Economic Security also needed certified daycare to help provide for families so parents could go to work.
The Willcox United Methodist Church made a decision to continue expansion of the preschool/daycare program and put the wheels into action.
"And when we got money, we thought, we can really do this," Fewell said.
Methodist Church Pastor Stewart Elson said he has been so impressed by this community project, including the volunteer hours spent by congregation and community members alike, building, supporting and donating equipment and funds.
"It really pulls people together ... not only the congregation, but the community as well. One of the goals for this building is for it to be an asset to the community. We want to it to be a place where adults can be trained in early childhood development, and also where community members can attend classes on parenting and nutrition," said Elson, whose wife Polly has been a liaison with the University of Arizona and Cochise College to work toward those goals.
Elson added that his congregation has continued with the ministry mission of the church even though so much work has been put toward the building.
While it's been a blessing to have the support of the Methodist Church, it also makes it difficult to receive donations from those whose bylaws do not allow faith-based donations, Houser said.
Fortunately, a $300,000 loan and $50,000 grant, both from USDA Rural Development through the federal Faith-Based and Community Initiative, has enabled the project to get this far.
"It also helped that Western Bank of New Mexico supplied us with interim money. It's important to have funds when we need them. They've been real good for us," Collins added.
"We're still shooting for $50,000 more. We don't need it to move in, but there are still things we need or need to pay for (fire alarm system, and things for outside, like shade and playground equipment)," he said.
"We have been fortunate enough to have a matching donor come forward for up to $25,000. And that's great, because if we can find $25,000, we're there!"
Anyone wishing to donate, and have their donation matched dollar for dollar, should contact the preschool at 507-3482 or the church at 384-3482.
"We've had about 75 people come in and volunteer to help get this building up," Collins said.
"Usually about six people per day, at least five days a week, if not six. That's a lot of hours," said Howard Bethel, a volunteer who has helped with "whatever there is to do that day" for nearly nine months.
Bethel estimated about $300,000 worth of volunteer hours, and an appraised value of the 5,000 square-foot building at about $800,000 total (including labor).
And, he said, the project is economic development for Willcox, as it is expected to employ 12 full-time people eventually and provide training for early childhood education students and daycare for parents who want to work.
"The most amazing thing is the timeliness of people showing up to help when we needed them," said Claire Owen, who has volunteered since the start.
There was "Tom", who showed up to build frames for two or three weeks; certified welder Fred Bretz, who showed up all day for several weeks when those helping on their days off (Gilbert Davidson, Ray Nevin and Gene Moreman of AEPCO) couldn't find time to get it all finished; and others like Les Smith and Barry Van Renen, who put so much time into helping; not to mention Houser being available for the directorship and the church member who came forward to match donations dollar for dollar, Owen said.
"A real qualified person would show up to volunteer at the moment we needed them. It's been amazing," he said.
The list of those who have helped with the project is too long to add to this article, but people have shown up to help from every area of the community, and outside of it, Houser and Bethel agreed.
From the ladies at the church who made lunch every day for volunteers, to the specialists who came in to volunteer just when they were needed, without being called, Houser said.
From Donna Matthews at Coronado Resources Conservation & Development and Eddie Browning, state director of USDA Rural Development, who helped get the grant and loan for the project from USDA Rural Development. The loan was the first to be approved in Arizona under President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative, Bethel said.
"Both SSVEC and Union Pacific have given us grants, with which we bought equipment. The (Willcox) Police Department gave us a crossing guard sign for our after-schoolers coming from the elementary school. Dollar General gave us a reading program for kids," Houser said.
The Blake Foundation and Valley TeleCom Group also made equipment donations, much needed at the preschool.
Houser added that service organizations such as the Masons and Shriners have donated money for families that need scholarships for school, and the Willcox Elementary School has worked with Wesleyan preschool children to be sure they are screened for disabilities through the Child Find Act.
There is still construction to be done, including stucco on the outside patio walls, curbing in the front of the building, painting, carpeting, vinyl flooring and polishing cement, Collins said.
"But, it's all coming together," Collins said. "You walk into the building (with its high ceiling and window light) and say 'Wow!'"
Owen said, "At this point, we're wanting local churches to say, "We want to be your mission.' We need money to finish paying for the building. Daily operations will probably be subsidized, because we want daycare to stay affordable for people here. It's a local thing, and instead of finding a mission on the Internet, the preschool can be their mission. They can come visit it and see how it's helping the community anytime."
"We're shooting for an inspection date of Oct. 26. We're hoping to make it by that deadline," Houser said.
Consecration of the building with Bishop Minerva Carcano is scheduled for Dec. 17, Elson said.
When the land where the building now stands first became available, it was well before the Willcox United Methodist Church or Wesleyan Preschool started thinking about the project, Houser said.
"We didn't even know what we were going to do with it, maybe use it as parking," she said, adding later that she realized God must have had a plan.
Fewell concurred. "God really had a hand in this. When we really needed something, all these donations and all the help came at a time when we were thinking, 'How are we going to do this.'"
Teary-eyed over the enormity of the project and how wonderfully it has come together, Houser said, "I can't believe Howard and Toby and Bob (Coder) and Claire (Owen) have been out here every day for nearly a year. I'm sure they had other things to do."
Collins laughed, "I can't complain about the help ... especially when they are free."
Bethel, who likely speaks for many of the volunteers, said, "I feel like I've been in it for nine months, and I'm ready to give it up."
Houser replied, "You know a lot of men say that and us women laugh (because they really don't know what nine months of pregnancy is like), but I think there are quite a few men here (on this project) that are legit. I know they are tired and have worked very hard. I think this time, they can say that."
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