MARION - Children and parents in the Williamson County Early Childhood Cooperative gathered in the rain at Rent One Park Friday morning for a day of family fun.
Michelle Baxter, program coordinator for the Pre-K program, said that the gathering was a "celebration of the end of the school year."
Children could meet the mascots of the Southern Illinois Miners, play games on the concourse, and if they wanted to brave the rain, run the bases.
Though the intent of the day was for fun and celebration, a note of tension was present at the event, as demonstrated by a table with information for parents on how to contact state and local representatives, encouraging them to release funding for the program.
According to Baxter, the co-op is a state-funded program through a block grant, and due to the state's ongoing budgetary woes, the money necessary to continue the program has not been released. The deadline is fast approaching.
"If we do not receive our funds by July 31, then we will have to shut our doors," Baxter said.
The state currently owes the co-op $1.6 million, and the bank loan of $1.3 million cannot be extended any further and will soon be maxed out.
"The banks won't give us another loan until we pay off this year," Baxter said. "So we're looking at closing down our whole program.
More than 600 Pre-K students currently are enrolled in the co-op, from every school district in Williamson County. The co-op also offers a "Teen" program for teen parents, which serves about 35 families. Almost 50 staff members currently work at the co-op.
"It's going to be a huge impact on Southern Illinois," Baxter said should the agency close.
Most of that impact will be felt by students and their families.
Shay Swan of Marion is concerned about the effect a closure could have on her 4-year-old daughter, Sloane, and her son, Stellan, both of whom were going to attend Pre-K classes in the fall.
"That will affect them educationally, in their social skills, in every aspect of how they learn," Swan said. As both she and her husband work, Swan is concerned about preparing her children for school, without the Pre-K program.
"That's going to be a huge impact for our family."
Celeste Batts, who lives in Herrin with her children, Hayes, 5, and Peyton, 2, is also concerned about a possible shutdown.
"My daughter is only 2, and she won't start kindergarten for three more years, so I feel like it will be very terrible for our family, since she's only 2, and she would be in it (Pre-K) for three years," Batts said.
Batts and her husband have already contacted their local representatives, who have sent paperwork to them, so that they can be informed about the importance of the co-op.
"I hope that they get the funding they need and the money that's owed to them so the program will start next year," Batts said.
"It's never been this bad," Baxter said. The funding has always come through, but the maxed-out loan has caused difficulties.
If at least $1.3 million is provided to the co-op, the agency can open a new loan and start the fall program.
More information about the co-op and efforts to keep it open, can be found on its Facebook page, Williamson County Early Childhood Cooperative.
