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Local News

Thornapple Manor ribbon cutting Feb. 28 celebrates opening its employee daycare center

An idea an employee brought to Thornapple Manor administration has resulted in a recruiting tool, a better way to manage staff overtime and absences and, “is just a good thing to do.”

 

Third shift nurse Karen Dull suggested the facility start a day care center for its employees, Administrator Don Haney said. “It’s nice that an employee is comfortable enough to bring us an idea; it shows they are engaged.”

 

Researching the possibility and, “not being experts in that population,” they found the YMCA has experience in day care and after school programs. Working with “Y” Executive Director Jon Spoor, they decided it was feasible to have a licensed day care center.

 

Haney noted they have 315 employees. 80 percent of them are women and 80 percent of them are in their child-bearing years, “so there definitely is a need, and it’s a just good thing to do.”

 

“It was couple-year journey, keeping in touch with the “Y” all the time,” Haney said. They eventually found the ideal room in the main hallway of the facility. There are requirements for day cares so they configured the space with the Y’s advice. The Thornapple Manor Auxiliary purchased some of the items in the room.

 

“We said we’ll underwrite the cost, you just bill us every month, we have kitchen facilities so we’ll provide the food. The employees sign a contract with the YMCA for the daycare.” Haney said they looked at market rates at area day care centers, and set the cost at $30 a day or $150 a week, which Thornapple Manor subsidizes at 10 percent.

 

The daycare is named Generations and Haney expects inter-generational activities between the two age groups, possibly elders reading stories to the kids. “We’re excited to see how that works out,” he said.

 

Generations is an effective recruiting tool, easing parent’s minds when they have the children close by, know they are safe and can see to them during breaks and lunch. “We keep a couple of slots open so if we call someone in and they say they have no one to watch the kids, we say, bring them along. It helps us manage overtime,” Haney said.

 

Expansion of the day care in the future is a distinct possibility. “Depending on the use, it’s entirely possible down the road.”

Already open, the YMCA has three hired staff and the daycare has its first couple of children, who likely will be introduced during the celebration of the official opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, Feb. 28 at noon at Thornapple Manor.

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