Golf, Grit and Giving

Wynot Educator shares playbook for Child Care Successs

KEARNEY — When parents can’t find reliable child care, it ripples through the whole economy.

Employers struggle to keep workers, families weigh leaving town, and young children miss out on early learning. To tackle that challenge, Cedar County joined Nebraska’s Communities for Kids (C4K) program — a statewide initiative helping rural and small communities grow affordable, high-quality child-care options.

Launched by the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation in 2017, C4K teams up with local volunteers to assess needs, recruit and support providers, and guide big-picture planning. Cedar County entered the program in 2022 with a 12-member core team representing schools, businesses, and community leaders from across the county. Cedar County's program is one of 86 such initiatives working statewide to support young children and their families.

April Heimes, Wynot, a preschool teacher and child care advocate, recently shared creative ways to boost early childhood education funding during the 8th annual Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference in Kearney.

Heimes presented a session titled “Creative Fundraising for Community Impact: Fresh Ideas that Work Where You Are.” She highlighted how Bow Creek Early Learning Center has tapped into local energy to expand child care options in its area.

One example she shared was the center’s second annual Bow Creek Area Early Learning Center Golf Tournament, held this year in Hartington.

For a board made up mostly of non-golfers, the event brought a lighthearted touch — including themed holes, a putting challenge and a silent auction — while attracting 14 teams and support from local businesses through sponsorships, prizes and donations.

The tournament has grown into a key fundraiser for early care and education in the community.

The planning committee credited community members and sponsors for making the event possible.

The conference gathered leaders from across Nebraska to promote high-quality early childhood education through collaboration, local storytelling and practical tools.

The Bow Creek Area Early Learning Center began organizing in 2022 with C4K guidance, forming a nonprofit board and securing donated land to create new child-care space. Organizers say the plan grew from community brainstorming sessions supported by the local C4K team.