The Beauty of Garfield Park

By Valerie Dickens, Lake & Pulaski Site Director 

The families at Lake & Pulaski are very consistent about bringing their children to school on a daily basis, and with volunteering on fields trips and classroom activities. The community also supports us with our Play Street Event, including local businesses US Bank and the family-owned corner store.  The families from surrounding neighborhoods join us, and we have a very good turnout. Our board members also come out to support us in the Play Street Event, and join us at staff lunches each of the board members will choose a site to support. Mary Crane has parent meetings every month on different subjects to meet the families’ needs.  Each month we pass out gifts to the families pertaining to the agenda of the parent meeting.  In October, the parent meeting focused on auto safety, and each child received a car seat or booster seat suitable for either toddlers or ages 3-5.  In December, we discussed home safety. 17 parents attended, and we gave each family a First Alert smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. The families of Garfield help us recruit to keep our center full.  Mary Crane also sends parents on conference trips to become more familiar with what’s going on in the world of early childhood education. 

Mary Crane has been around for over 110 years and is standing strong. The foundation that Mary Crane has laid will stay strong and keep growing. You can check our website for more information on upcoming events.