As a mother, grandmother and board member, I would like to express my thoughts about the KidsUp! Parent Child Center, upstairs in the Pavilion.

The Parent Child Center has been around in several different incarnations for many years, and it has greatly benefited many families by providing a fun place for their children to play, a way to connect with other families and a place to find support and resources during the early years of parenting.

From its beginning, PCC has been a group of concerned, committed parents working to build community with other families.

I have been impressed by the efforts of the many parents who have worked tirelessly to launch this project. I want to thank every single person, be they a parent, a volunteer, a business person, a carpenter, or an artist, who has helped us reach the six-month mark in our newest home.

We are excited to be at the place where we can offer free programs to children and families, and we are thrilled to be building an amazing climber in the center, thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club.

The KidsUp! Board of Directors is made up of parents of young children (and myself), men and women struggling in the trenches with their young children like so many others. We have had a steep learning curve about what it takes to start an organization such as PCC and also maintain our sanity and family lives, and we couldn’t have done it without all of you.

Together with you, we will keep learning and growing and building a fantastic community of families. Thank you, all of you.

Ellen Carleson

KidsUp! Board of Directors