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When Clara Cheung gets ready to travel to ������Ƶ (������Ƶ) each morning, she now is able to do so with her two-year-old son Pak Sen in tow.

Clara is on her way to attend class at the Vernon campus; Pak Sen is about to enter the campus’s new childcare centre.

The Sunflower Childcare Centre / smúkwaʔxn̓ scəcəmalla itskn snmaʔmayaʔtn on ������Ƶ’s Vernon campus opened at the start of October, creating much-needed new childcare spaces for student parents, faculty and community members.

“For me, this centre has made a huge impact on my life,” says Cheung, who is working toward her Early Childhood Education diploma. 

“We don’t have a car, so having my son attend a daycare on campus has been a huge help.”

The opening of the centre has created an additional 44 affordable and quality childcare spaces, prioritizing students, at a time when many parents are waitlisted for childcare services.

Cheryl Brus Peterson is a family doctor who, prior to the opening of the Sunflower Childcare Centre, was driving to Lumby twice a day, as that was the only childcare she could find for her son. For Brus Peterson, the Centre is “lifechanging,” giving her back nearly two hours each day that she used to spend commuting.

The Sunflower Childcare Centre’s opening is not only a good news story for parents, but also a powerful example of community and collaboration - in taking a seed of an idea and turning it into a reality.

When the B.C. government announced new student housing on ������Ƶ’s Vernon campus, former ������Ƶ instructor Lloyd Davies along with his wife Janet Armstrong, proposed the idea of including a childcare centre in the housing complex. Davies was aware of the need. As an instructor he saw firsthand how some students would miss classes and exams as a result of not having access to quality, affordable childcare. 

Compelled to support future students and give back to the community, Davies and Armstrong contributed an incredible $600,000 to kick-start the process.

Their donation helped secure more funding, with the provincial government contributing $1.5 million through the B.C. Childcare New Spaces Fund. 

With these strong roots, the Sunflower Childcare Centre community campaign launched aiming to raise the remaining funds required to complete the project and ensure it was fully equipped with an outdoor learning and play space. In total, the Vernon community responded with big hearts, raising more than $1.1 million including leadership gifts from Davies and Armstrong and many other community donors and local businesses.

“We couldn’t have done this without the inspiring support from individuals and organizations,” says Sasha Carter, manager of development with the ������Ƶ Foundation.

“We know the benefits of quality early childhood education for young children.  For student parents, they have peace of mind knowing their kids are safe and well cared for as they pursue their educational dreams.”

As the centre was preparing to open, the Galbraith family gave a $50,000 gift helping the campaign reach its goal. 

Ian Galbraith says education is an important priority for their family, compelling them to support a centre that would make education more accessible to a variety of students.

“Having childcare on campus will make education a focal point for people who can use that knowledge to benefit their own lives and strengthen our region,” he says.

Galbraith, a middle school teacher, adds that his children went to Maven Lane, the nonprofit operating the Sunflower Childcare Centre, and had incredible experiences. 

“I’m thrilled to see two great community organizations, ������Ƶ and Maven Lane, working together."

The Sunflower Childcare Centre features many best practices when it comes to early learning and development including welcoming and calming spaces, natural materials and décor and a large outdoor play area.

“This childcare centre is already transforming lives,” says Helen Jackman, executive director of the ������Ƶ Foundation. 

“We’d like to thank everyone who donated and volunteered their time to help us open the doors to this inspiring childcare centre.”

For student parents like Sabina Parchment-Cooper, she’s grateful to the community for supporting childcare for her four-year-old son.

“It feels good knowing the community is behind us,” she says. “As a parent, I love that I get to go to school with Karim.”