Skip-a-Long Child Development Services officially turned 40 years old on August 24th. An East Moline church opened its doors to one student in 1970 and grant monies from the state, local churches, individuals, businesses and the Deere Foundation. Today there are four campuses in the Quad Cities serving more than 1200 children on a daily basis.
The centers are celebrating throughout the month of September with four separate parties....with a big celebration scheduled for the Moline campus on September 30th from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. As a way to celebrate its past and look forward to its future the centers are putting out the call for all alumni to come visit the campus they attended years ago.
The center came about after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. There was a group of concerned citizens worried about the working poor and came up with the idea of subsidized child care so kids at risk would have a safe, nuturing place to go during the day. Volunteers and churches started it and the centers are still being run by volunteer boards. The centers are seeing 2nd and 3rd generations.
