Come to any Parent-Tot Drop-In location on the Sunshine Coast and you will find a vibrant, noisy hub of activity.
Children, from infants to six year olds, are busy with a huge variety of activities - blocks, painting, crafts, puzzles, playdough, large and small toys, climbing equipment, games and books. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and caregivers sip on coffee or tea, chatting about the joys and challenges of parenting. Add to this circle time with stories, music and a nutritious snack, and you've got a happy morning spent with your children.
Drop-In has been an institution on the Sunshine Coast since 1975 when a handful of moms with young children starting gathering at Tot-Lot to find support in each other's parenting stories and advice while their children found new playmates.
This year, Parent-Tot Drop-In continues to operate at Gibsons Family Place from Wednesday through Saturday, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the former library on South Fletcher.
Attention dads: starting last February, we added a dads-only group at Gibsons Family Place on Tuesday mornings. So, dads and other male caregivers, pack up your little ones and come enjoy a good strong cup of coffee with Paul, our family resource worker.
And if you don't do coffee, we always offer tea.
We're also at Roberts Creek Community School on Monday and Thursday mornings. Come look for us in the multi-purpose room.
Do you live in the central to north part of our beautiful Sunshine Coast? You'll find Drop-In offered at Halfmoon Bay Community School on Monday and Wednesday mornings in the Pod. For the Pender Harbour and area families, come out to see us Wednesday mornings at the Serendipity Child Development Centre in Madeira Park.
Unfortunately, this year, St. Hilda's Church and Community Services Drop-In programs in Sechelt are closed. With fewer families participating last year, we had to make the hard decision to close these programs. For those families who have depended on Sechelt Drop-In because of transportation issues, please contact our acting director of early childhood development programs, Patrice Pollack, at Sunshine Coast Community Services, 604-885-5881, ext. 225.
The good news is that Drop-In is free for all families. You will find a donation jar on hand for families able to contribute to this high quality program. All Drop-Ins are run by Sunshine Coast Community Services Society and are funded by Public Health Agency Canada; the Ministry for Children and Family Development (MCF); Success by 6; and by family donations. In addition, each year in partnership with the Royal Bank, we offer the Children's Festival fundraising event with music, food, great activities and the hugely successful Duck Pluck.
And while we are on the subject of money, it's important to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the family of musical wonder-woman Jean Clarke, who is truly a legend to thousands of Gibsons area families. In 2006, Jean and her family created the Jean and Arthur Clarke Endowment through the Sunshine Coast Community Foundation. This generous endowment has been earmarked to provide on-going financial support to the Gibsons Parent-Tot Drop-In.
We also want to thank Halfmoon Bay and Pender Harbour community schools for their financial support that makes it possible to offer Drop-In early in Sep-tember and run through the month of June.
