Minturn Family Enrichment Center hosts community art day, silent auction for new playground

Minturn’s only early childhood learning center is raising funds to create a new outdoor space for the town’s youngest learners.

Minturn Family Enrichment Center is hosting a family-friendly community art day on Sunday, Oct. 19 from 12-2 p.m. There will be arts and craft tables, an opportunity to tour the facility and the new preschool room, and to preview the design concept for the playground.

The center is also hosting an online silent auction that is live with donations from several community sponsors. Silent auction items will be available at the community art day to preview as well, with the auction closing the evening of Oct. 19. To view the auction, visit GiveButter.com/c/H0vodJ/auction.

The space, located on Pine Street, operated as Pooh Corner Preschool for three decades until Aug. 2023, when it was closed due to staffing challenges. At that time, the playground that existed was torn down. The space reopened as Minturn Family Enrichment Center in January with infant and toddler rooms, and will be adding a preschool room this fall. “Many town residents have a connection with the space, having sent their own young children there,” said Jeremy Thelen, executive director for the Eagle Valley Child Care Association.

“It’s not the most physically attractive on the outside right now, and that’s part of all this … we may be doing some beautification on the outside of the building itself, we’re looking to do some murals on the wall in the future as well,” Thelen said, adding the space has “a good connection to the community, and I’m looking forward to revitalizing that.”

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For more information, visit EagleValleyChildCare.org/mfec.