In October of last year May Memorial’s leaders were approached with an exciting and unanticipated opportunity.
Kountry Kid’s Daycare, located across the street from the church, has served our Powhatan community well for many years. Wendy Goodwyn owned and operated Kountry Kids most of those years, and she offered quality childcare for hundreds of children who went there daily and found nurture, good instruction, care, and loving community. A couple of years ago Wendy, ready to retire, sold Kountry Kids (the business and the property) to a local couple, Nathan and Heather Nuckols. The Nuckols wanted to see the quality childcare continue, and they also wanted Kountry Kids to be faith-based with the influence of a good church.
The Nuckols knew that May Memorial was the church they wanted to be a part of Kountry Kids.
When this potential opportunity came to May Memorial, the Leadership Council appointed an ad hoc team to explore this opportunity. Serving on the ad hoc team were Christina Fredette, Juston Sanudo, Constance Deal, Jackie Lindsey, Kemper Baker, and Carlisle Davidhizar. They worked hard, met with the Nuckols and Wendy Goodwyn, talked to other churches and leaders of day cares and preschools, and pulled together a lot of information from Kountry Kids. After months of work they brought a recommendation to the Leadership Council and Board of Directors that May Memorial take ownership of Kountry Kids daycare.
The Nuckols have offered May Memorial the “business” and equipment that is Kountry Kids. The Nuckols would retain ownership of the building, which May Memorial would rent from the Nuckols (the Nuckols request a lease agreement that would be renewed yearly). The same staff would stay in place, and there is one (or two) long-time staff member who would potentially serve as the director.
After the ad hoc team brought their recommendation to the Leadership Council and Board of Directors, these two bodies began working to gather necessary information. This information includes a sample lease agreement, detailed financial information from Kountry Kids, legal documents, enrollment records, etc. Our church treasurer also has spoken to an attorney who would help with several aspects of this process if it moves forward. With two CPAs in our church being a part of this process, the financials have been thoroughly examined.
At the last meeting of the Leadership Council and Board of Directors, it was unanimously approved to make a recommendation to the church that we move forward and take Kountry Kids (the business, not the property) as our own. This is a motion that will be made at the quarterly church business meeting in June. Before that meeting a packet of information will be made available to church members so you have time to read and consider all of the facts before the vote is taken.
Much more information will be presented closer to the business meeting, but here are a few things that are important to know:
First, this will not impact our church budget. There will not be any additional line items in our budget for the daycare. It has been and will continue to be fully self-supporting. This business has turned a profit for many years, and it will continue to do so.
Second, the Board of Directors has spoken with our insurance agent and the Board is fully aware of the necessary insurance coverage that is required. Again, this will not be a part of the May Memorial budget, but will continue to be a part of the Kountry Kids budget.
Third, a LLC will be created for our day care ministry, creating a safety wall for the church and limiting our liability.
Fourth, conversations have been held with parents and staff and they are very excited about the possibility of May Memorial taking Kountry Kids and it becoming faith based.
Finally, it is important to know the reasons as to why the ad hoc team, the Leadership Council, and the Board of Directors are all unanimously in favor of this. First and foremost, this will be a ministry of our church. Children will be taught about Jesus and about God’s love for them. This will happen as the children of Kountry Kids are included in Vacation Bible School, Kingdom Kids on Wednesday afternoons, children’s events through the year, chapel services in the Kountry Kids building and in our building, Bible story time with Pastors Michael and Carlisle, and many more.
This ministry will continue to provide working parents with quality childcare where their children are valued, cared for, provided safe space, and nurtured as they grow. Kountry Kids has filled an important spot for families for many years, now May Memorial can ensure that will continue for families in our community.
All persons involved from May Memorial also have a “holy wonder” if this could also be a way for God to connect our church family with young families in our community. There is a prayerful hope that through this more families with children will become a part of what God is doing at May Memorial. This is a demographic we have not been most effective in reaching, and we pray that saying “yes” to this opportunity is a step in reaching more families.
Packets of information will be available several days before our meeting on June 14, and a great deal of information will be presented from our Board of Directors and Treasurer at the meeting. I hope you will speak to me, Carlisle, Gerald, Sandy, or Juston if you have any questions that you feel are important to be answered before you can offer an informed vote. This can be a great opportunity, it is also a big step for our church. Your input, questions, and thoughts are valuable to us in the process as we follow God’s Spirit in how we can continue to reach out and minister in this wonderful place where God has put us.