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Rangeley Celebrates Building Dedication and Ribbon Cutting of New Child Care Center
Rangeley, ME — The Rangeley community came together last weekend to celebrate the official ribbon-cutting and dedication of the new Rangeley Child Care Center, a much-needed facility that promises to serve families in the area. The event, held on Saturday afternoon, was marked by heartfelt speeches, commendations, and a sense of pride in achieving a significant milestone for enhancing early childhood education in the Rangeley area.
The building was dedicated to the late Beth Brunswick, champion of the Rangeley community, whose last wish included the creation of a curriculum-based child care center to serve the town’s children and prepare them for a lifetime of learning.
The Beth Brunswick Memorial Fund for Children, a 501©3 organization, raised $3.6 million to fund land purchase, construction, furnishings, and startup costs for the Rangeley Child Care Center. According to Ellen Oppenheim, President of Board of Directors, “the past three years have been a heavy lift, with all the rules and regulations around building and operating a child care center. But our team has worked hard to make Beth’s vision a reality, and to provide this much needed service for the town of Rangeley. We look forward to improved school performance and a more robust work force as two positive outcomes of this effort.”
Esther Evergreen, Executive Director of the new facility, remarked that “today isn’t just about cutting a ribbon. It’s about opening a door—to opportunity, to growth, and to a space where children are nurtured, families are supported, and educators are empowered.” Further, she praised Community Concepts, Inc., “whose partnership has been instrumental in bringing this center to life.” Esther’s strong background in early childhood education and passion for this work position her perfectly for success in this new role.
Speakers highlighted the successful collaboration between public and private partners that made the project possible. Local officials praised the combined effort that brought the vision of a modern, accessible child care facility to fruition, emphasizing that it is a true asset that will enable the twin objectives of school readiness and economic development.
George Bernstein, Vice President of the Board of Directors, explained that the focus of this effort is to provide high quality and affordable child care to everyone in the region. In Maine, the Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP) assists families with tuition costs on a sliding scale depending on household size and income. The CCAP program has become so popular that it now has a five month wait list for families to receive the benefit. To that end, Bernstein explained that the Beth Brunswick Memorial Fund for Children Board of Directors has secured over $500,000 to support tuition for area families who qualify for CCAP while they are on the wait list, enabling them to reenter the work force, school, or job training without delay. This funding was secured from philanthropic donors who understand the importance of early childhood education and is a unique asset of the Rangeley Child Care Center. Bernstein, who has had decades of experience in the child care industry, added that “this center rivals the best center anywhere in the country.”
Letters of support from prominent figures across the state and federal levels underscored the importance of this project. Sen. Susan Collins, Congressman Jared Golden, Governor Janet Mills, and USDA Regional Director John Butera all expressed their strong support through thoughtful messages of encouragement and congratulations.
The ceremony also recognized the outstanding work of HE Callahan, the contractor responsible for the construction. Despite facing numerous obstacles—including unpredictable weather and other unforeseen challenges—the team successfully completed the project on time and within budget. Leeanna Wilbur, Treasurer of the Board of Directors and the Board’s project manager for Rangeley Child Care Center, praised the crew’s resilience and dedication, noting that they managed to overcome “everything mother nature could throw at us.” Wilbur further thanked the Northern Borders Regional Commission and the USDA for their substantial contributions to the project (($1,000,000 grant from NBRC, and $750,000 from a Congressionally Directed Spending grant which was administered by USDA). In addition, the Maine Child Care infrastructure Act provided a grant of $250,000 administered by CEI, Inc.
The Rangeley Child Care Center plans to open in October, pending licensing, staff hiring and training.
