CAMDEN — Faye Dismuke and Latangra Sims from Ouachita Enrichment Centers visited the Camden Noon Lion’s Club this week to talk about the changes that will be coming soon for the child- care centers.
Dismuke, from "A Better Chance," - more commonly known as ABC - works with children aged three to five. She stated that the ABC program currently has 35 children enrolled, and that there are open slots for more children.
She said the program now has six teachers and that the program’s goal is to ready children for kindergarten.
Dismuke spoke about how important physical fitness is to her and the ABC program. She said that two out of four children are obese, so getting the children in the center up and moving is of great importance.
This year, the children will be training for the Special Olympics for Children. Dismuke said that the center was able to purchase new play and exercise equipment through a grant from the Community Foundation.
Sims, who is the director for the Child Enrichment Center and the Child Enrichment Center Annex, stated that the programs currently have 144 children enrolled between the two centers. The centers have children aged from six weeks old to five years old.
Sims shared that the center originally opened with one facility with five class rooms in 2000. In 2007, the Annex facility was opened, and it now has seven classrooms in addition to the original facility.
Sims said that the center is in the process of getting ready to expand again. Bids are being taken, and she stated that construction should begin in mid January to February and take around eight months to complete.
Sims had plans drawn up by architect Candy Adams to show to the Lion’s Club.
Some of the improvements being made in the expansion will be a multi-purpose building to use for lunches and activities, new parking and child drop-off areas, offices, and more. Sims stated that she is very excited about the addition of a sensory room.
Many of the children who attend the centers have developmental delays or special needs. A sensory room will greatly benefit children with these needs, Sims said.
In the sensory room, there will be areas for children to calm down and the opportunity to touch and feel different objects that may comfort them. There will also be a ball pit and different lighting to produce a calm atmosphere.
Sims said that the facility will be the only one in the area with a sensory room.
Sims stated that the facilities will not be closing during construction and that there may be noisy days, but the centers will be up and running through the work on the expansion, which she stated that she hopes is the last one needed.