Ground Broken For New Children’s Center
Posted: November 20, 2009 at 4:56 a.m.
HIGHFILL — With a toss of red dirt from golden shovels, ground was broken on a new Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter on Thursday.
The 42,000-square-foot building at 14100 Vaughn Road will increase the shelter’s capacity from 32 to 48 children, and will allow the shelter to help more children in need, Cheryl Ellis, the marketing director for the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter, said.
Already this year, the shelter has housed nearly 400 children.
For Edwin Sisk, the groundbreaking ceremony was a long time coming.
Sisk, of Overland Park, Kan., is one of the shelter’s founding board members. The shelter was founded in 1993 and housed 12 children that first year.
“This (new facility) is a dream come true. It is a vision,” Sisk said, noting the shelter’s main focus is caring for children when they are taken from their homes in emergency situations.
Sisk’s wife, Barbara, mirrored his sentiments.
“We are just so excited that we could hardly wait. We have been waiting for this so long. It has been something we hoped and dreamed for, for so long,” Barbara Sisk said.
The new children’s shelter, being built two miles west of the shelter’s current location on Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard, will include a separate recreation center that will house a gymnasium, a game room and several multipurpose rooms.
“The vision for this shelter has been in the hearts and minds of staff and board for several years,” said David Atwood, president of the shelter board of directors. “While today (Thursday) marks the beginning of construction, it also marks a special time for everyone who has had the passion and vision to make this day possible.”
Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2011.
(Advertisement)
« Previous Story
Records for Northwest Arkansas
Brian Peterson, 31, of 1218 Lewis Ave. in Fayetteville was arrested Wednesday in connection with felony third-degree domestic battery and parole violation. He was being hel... Read »
Next Story »
Retired Firemen Seeks More Pension Advice
It may be with small steps, but some of Fayetteville’s retired firemen are inching toward the uncomfortable decision to reduce retiree benefits. Read »
Comments
To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Registration is required to make comments. Click here to LOGIN.
You can register for FREE to post comments and receive alerts.