The Crookston Early Childhood Initiative is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The Early Childhood Initiative provides supportive opportunities to young children and their families in our community. “The ECI is a collaboration. We have 19 community leaders, early childhood professionals, and parents and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation sponsors it,” says Gunderson. “We carry out projects to benefit children birth to age five and their families in our community.”
What have they accomplished in their 20 years? “We have invested with really generous donations from our community members, just over $130,000 into the community,” said Gunderson. Some of the projects that the ECI has invested in are play structures that are focused on ages two to five, park benches, the Little House of Books projects, and the Early Childhood Resource Directory.
In celebrating its 20th Anniversary and continuing to support opportunities for children and their families, the ECI has donated $5,000 to the Highland Inclusive Playground. “The Early Childhood Initiative is really excited to give a donation to the Highland Inclusive Playground,” says Gunderson. “We met in November this year and are really excited to get back with this group, and after talking about how important the Inclusive Playground is to our community, we decided to make a donation.” Gunderson says the playground is so important as a place where all children of all abilities can enjoy and play together.
Gunderson said that the ECI is proud to donate $5,000 to the fundraising efforts for the Highland Inclusive Playground and wants to thank the Inclusive Playground Committee for working so hard to make this a reality.
The ECI also wants to thank everyone who has been supporting their mission for the last 20 years. “Providing these projects and different things in our community isn’t possible without all the generosity we get from businesses, community members, and service organizations, says Gunderson. “ It’s really heartwarming to see how generous people are.”
A few ECI members are pictured: Barb Durden, Cindy Scott, Caitlyn Michno (Inclusive Playground Committee Member), Gina Gunderson, and Tu Lynn Sommerfled.
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