Sunshine Station Child Care benefits from helping hands

By Sondra Porter–Sunshine Station Childcare Center has just received a helping hand from the Talkeetna Bachelor Society.  This past Sunday, five bachelors teamed with other volunteers, parents and board members to put up fencing around the new playground at the station.  This nearly brings to a close a series of workdays in Phase One of the playground upgrade.

According to Heather Zimmerman, who is the Sunshine Station Board Vice President, “The work day was a real success.  It was great to have our two organizations working together on such a positive project.  It ended up being fun for everyone.”

The Bachelor Society is locally known for its philanthropic nature.  One of their chief goals is to help women and children in crisis.  This venture was right up their alley.

The playground completion will be a welcome treat for the children in day care at Sunshine Station.  The Center is a busy, bustling place, full with a capacity of 12 children at a time. They currently have 25 enrolled.  One hundred and fifty children have been enrolled in the center since its opening.  The need, however, sometimes exceeds the availability.  During the summer with so many parents working, there was a waiting list.

Sunshine Station is a state licensed child care facility with grassroots origins here in the Talkeetna area.  The need for the Center was identified by Sunshine Clinic staff and opened seven years ago, according to Mia Mangione, Board President.  Employees needed a place near the clinic for their own children.  Mangione, who also works at Sunshine Clinic, has been active with the facility from the beginning.  Sunshine Clinic still helps the Center by providing low cost rent for the facility.  Other than that, the child care center has to make it on its own merit with donations and tuition from children enrolled. The Center also accepts state child care assistance.

The Board has worked hard applying and receiving project grants from the Rasmusen Foundation, the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation, and the Mat Su Health Foundation.  The Health Foundation provided the funding for the playground work and equipment.  The center has also benefited from the support of local businesses such as Moores’ Hardware, which has been especially generous.  Donation are always appreciated.

The place is unique in many ways, but the food is a real kid pleaser.   The breakfasts, snacks, and larger lunches are nothing short of wonderful and healthy.  Mia Mangione and her husband Teri have always been in charge of purchasing whole foods, organic whenever possible, and turning them into home-cooked, healthy kid favorites.

A new director has been hired, but she is not new to the center.  Katrina De Young, a long-time employee, was recently promoted to the directorship.

The Board has also been rejuvenated.  Zimmerman credits Larry Dearman for helping to reenergize the board.   Dearman recently stepped up to serve as a board advisor, recruiting new board members and re-organizing the group.  He was also instrumental in encouraging the Bachelors Society to work on the playground.