MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Deployments can be hard on service members. How do spouses manage when they have a child and other responsibilities to handle?
The grand opening of the Marine Corps Community Services Brewster Annex and Midway Park Child Development Centers at the Brewster Annex CDC here June 21, will hopefully address these concerns.
“In an effort to meet the needs for child care for deployed Marines, the office of the Secretary of Defense has contributed two [centers] for families located on base,” said Wynn Hildreth, marketing and community services officer, Marine Corps Community Services here.
Mass deployments are leaving spouses to care for their children by themselves, which has increased the need for child care, Hildreth added.
“Each additional CDC will offer 74 slots for children, which will drastically reduce the waiting list of more than 100 children,” said Hildreth. Although the waiting list will be reduced, it will not be totally alleviated, he added. With the centers opening; however, children who have been on the waiting list will be able to receive the care they need.
“Children already on the top of the waiting list will be enrolled into the day care first depending on the child’s age,” explained Hildreth. “Each age group has a specific amount of slots allowed. Children will be accepted into the CDC until their age group is full.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony was not only a chance to celebrate the opening of the centers, but was also to remember Lance Cpl. Nolan P. Ryder and Lance Cpl. Jesse Wisniewski. Both men died in a car accident in 2002.
Also remembered at the ceremony was Rose Ryder – Nolan’s mother. After organizing the events to raise money for the centers she died of a brain aneurism.
The Ryder’s efforts raised more than $50,000 in memory of their son and his friend.
The money was used to purchase slides, jungle gyms and other low-to-the-ground equipment for children to play on at the two new centers.
“The playground equipment donated is state of the art and built to the highest standard of safety,” Hildreth said.
With the new centers opening, service members will be provided safe day care for their children and will reduce the waiting list for other parents. Although the new CDCs are only reducing a fraction of the waiting list, they are helping to provide children with the care they need.
For more information about child care aboard Lejeune or to be placed on the child care waiting list, contact the CDC at 451-1315.