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May 31, 2006
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May 31, 2006
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| Online Phonebook | Sandhills Guide | Business News | National News |
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BY MATTHEW MORIARTY: Staff Writer A federal loan is helping a local day-care center expand. Watch Me Grow Academy for Early Learning in Southern Pines should be open June 1. With the planned expansion of Fort Bragg, day care is expected to be an area of great need a few years down the road. It is already in demand. The expanding Watch Me Grow Academy for Early Learning has a lengthy wait list. Watch Me Grow is taking over the Edu-Care Montessori School near the Olmstead Village. The state stripped Edu-Care of its license in August. The state said the day care had gone too far in disciplining children and had not kept accurate records. Watch Me Grow had been planning to lease the facility, said Nancy Lewis, executive director of the nonprofit day care. She was thrilled when the opportunity arose for purchase. “We were fortunate to have it going up for sale,” she said. “We were able to put together something quickly.” The loan comes through U.S. Rep. Howard Coble’s office. Coble, a Greensboro Republican who represents Moore County, announced the $450,000 loan May 16. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development program. The day-care facility is n Murdocksville Road in Taylortown. It has a capacity of 300 children and the enrollment is projected as only 155. “I am pleased that USDA approved this loan request,” Coble said. “This will give additional Moore County families access to quality services for their children.” Lewis spoke with community leaders, such as the Chamber of Commerce, and asked everyone she could about Edu-Care. They all told her it would be important to the community that someone operate that day care center. Being nonprofit, Watch Me Grow has a public commitment to provide quality day care, Lewis said. She looked for an inexpensive loan. The interest rate on the USDA loan is 4.375 percent. The USDA loan takes care of only about a fourth of the total cost. An additional $1.5 million is coming from Bridgeview Capital Solutions, Inc. Ninety percent of that loan is being guaranteed by the USDA. Lewis said it fits a community need. “[The demand] is huge,” she said. “Now with the realignment of the military, you’ll see even more in terms of demographics. We’re not just looking at today, we’re looking at five years down the road. That’s what I had to sell to the bank.” The new facility will have a staff of about 20. It will be the headquarters of Watch Me Grow, with Lewis in that building. Jennifer Thompson will take over as head of the Watch Me Grow in Southern Pines. People can expect the same type of service at the Taylortown day care. “We’ll stand on what we have been successful with here in Southern Pines,” Lewis said.
Matthew Moriarty may be reached at 693-2479 or by e-mail at moriarty@thepilot.com. |
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