Cloud County, KS- Cloud County Community College invites the public to attend a ribbon cutting and open house on Wednesday, Sept. 28, from 6-8 p.m., for the recently renovated and expanded Children’s Learning Center.

The Children’s Learning Center has served Cloud County families since 1986, and its purpose is to provide an on-campus training site for students in the childcare programs and provide high-quality care for children six weeks to six years old. Prior to the expansion, the Center could accommodate 28 children.

The project included installation of a new sprinkler and fire alarm system, renovating, and expanding the current space by adding a new preschool room, a staff break room, a nursing mother’s room, a bathroom, and a laundry room. The kitchen was updated with new equipment, and the Center received new cabinets, flooring, paint, and lighting throughout. The outside also received a facelift, with new playground equipment, fencing, turf, and shade structures. With the expansion, the College is also searching for additional teachers to accommodate up to 40 more children in the state-of-the-art facility.

“Cloud County Community College is beyond thrilled to have a larger space to offer our outstanding childcare services to not only students and staff at the College, but to the community at large,” said CCCC Foundation Executive Director Heather Gennette. “This project was in direct response to the childcare needs in Cloud County, and we hope it will help our communities to thrive.”

The $642,000 project would not have been possible without several grants from area organizations. The Foundation received $120,000 from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, $20,000 from the Community Foundation for Cloud County, $400,000 from the CCCC Foundation, and $132,000 from Child Care Aware Sustainability grants.