OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center (OLCLC) on Lyme St. has announced a fall fundraising effort, saying in a letter from the board to supporters and friends, which is also posted on their website, “As a non-profit organization, we have certainly felt the impact of COVID-19 at the Center these past few months.”
The OLCLC board comprises Kristen St. Germain (president), Nicole McCarthy, Marie Ryan, and Elizabeth Sked.
The board continues in their letter, “We recently reopened our doors on Aug. 3, after temporarily closing due to the health crisis in our nation. We are slowly gaining our parents and families back but, unfortunately, not without a huge financial strain on the Center.
Thanks to the dedication of our OLCLC community, we continue to offer the best child care services to our families. The legacy of Constance Pike carries on through the hard work of the OLCLC Board of Directors, the directors, the staff, as well as through the support of the families and friends of the Center who continue to back our facility and programs each year.
As we continue to work hard to stay above water and to support the many essential workers who need quality child care for their children, we are reaching out to our current and former patrons hoping you will all consider us in your donations this upcoming school year.
We do not take it lightly that for over three decades, parents have placed their trust in OLCLC to provide safe, nurturing programs for their children. Of course, this caliber of care comes with a price tag.”
The letter notes that due to COVID-19, this year’s planned Holiday Home Tour fundraiser has had to be cancelled. The Tour, of which LymeLine.com was proud to be a sponsor, typically raises over $10,000 towards OLCLC’s funding.
Explaining how they have managed to maintain their funding to date, the letter states, “Because we were fortunate to receive one of the federal payroll grants, we were able to maintain most of our staff through this crisis, but now have to dip into our savings to continue to run effectively. Those staff members we did lose left us for teaching positions or because of their own health reasons …
… On top of all this, we are also facing licensing restrictions under COVID-19, so our normal revenue has been drastically impacted. We have been fortunate to get a licensed RN on board to assist us with our COVID-19 protocols and we are thrilled to report that our safety measures in place continue to make the Center a safe place for all of our children and families.”
Finally, the board asks, “We reach out to you today with a plea to help us through these difficult times so we can maintain the wonderful programs that Connie Pike started and made a reality for families in Southeastern Connecticut. The daycare industry as a whole has been impacted terribly through this ordeal and although we have a dedicated Board of Directors, directors, staff, and families helping us in any way they can, we are going to need more financial support to get back up and running comfortably again.
Please consider a contribution to our Special Fund that we hope will allow us to continue to be an asset to families who are certainly struggling to find care for their children and find themselves having to go back to work again. Please visit our website if you can make a contribution to our Center. We have a donate button established that will allow you to make a donation immediately.
Alternatively, online donations can be made at this link. We will also, of course, accept donations via the mail.
We are grateful for any consideration you may give to helping us get back on our feet. With your help, we will hopefully be able to keep OLCLC a fundamental part in the development of our community’s children for many more years to come, even through the pandemic we are all facing.“
Editor’s Note: The OLCLC is located at 57 Lyme Street Old Lyme, CT 06371. Contact the Center at (860) 434-1728 or visit www.olclc.com.