Creative Years Recognized for Africa Efforts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Nashua, New Hampshire – November 12, 2008 – As she looks at it, smiling, owner Bobbie Smith never imagined – and certainly not 17 years ago – that she would now have a class photograph hanging on her office wall of an entire school for orphaned and vulnerable children, from a small southwest African town and country called Arandis, Namibia.

The class picture was given in gratitude to Creative Years Child Development and Learning Center for their help.

Through the efforts and generosity of Creative Years, Talitha Kumi Christian Academy now has more school supplies, educational toys, math and science kits for its classes and students. Nan Parker, the school’s principal stated, “We are so grateful for these donations as things like this would never have been possible or affordable for Talitha Kumi to purchase on their own.”

It all started when the father of two Creative Years alumni, whose oldest daughter was just 6 months old when she first started at Creative Years in 1991, approached Bobbie about helping out in Africa.

She admits she was a bit quizzical but listened to his story and agreed to help. Later however, it would amaze her to think about how simply taking in a new client and infant would have led to something as far reaching as this – 17 years later.

Smiling, he admitted he knew all along that he could count on Creative Years’ help. “They’re all about caring”, he said.

He stated that after having both of his daughters go through their infant care, early development and kindergarten programs, he had really come to get to know and trust Bobbie and her staff. As a result, both he and his daughters have maintained contact, ever since the youngest girl’s kindergarten graduation in 1995. The older daughter is a class of 1992 kindergarten alumni.

“Why wouldn’t you stay in contact with such caring people who were involved with your child’s life, who we entrusted their care to, for so long?”, he asks. “I mean, these are the critical developmental years for your kids. This is where it all starts,” he said. Adding further, “They’re like family.” And, it was this caring character that he was looking for when thinking about people and businesses he could reach out to for help with Hopes Promise Orphan Ministry (HPOMN) in Arandis, Namibia.

Because shipping directly to Namibia would have been cost prohibitive, supplies were pre-purchased and shipped to the Nashua childcare center. There was a group of people, through a local church in Amherst, who was to be heading down to help HPOMN for two weeks. Each would be bringing an extra suitcase and this is how donations and supplies can get there without additional shipping charges. All of the supplies and educational toys and tools were squeezed in among the other supplies and donations and reached their intended destination safely.