Annual Report 2010
Loving Hearts Learning Place

During the first full year of operation, Loving Hearts Learning Place experienced exciting growth in many areas! Our enrollment grew from about fifty children at the beginning of 2010, to 85 children by the beginning of 2011. We also have six more infants already registered to begin child care within the next few months.

Our staff also increased in numbers this year, to twenty-one, which includes the addition of Charlotte Chappell as assistant director. Three of our staff members are currently taking college courses in early childhood education; two are working toward their associates degrees and one toward her bachelors degree.

This exciting increase in enrollment required more space to meet the needs of our children, so an additional classroom on the lower level was opened in August. We are now very close to capacity in all of our classrooms, and have waiting lists in some of the rooms.

This year we have seven children who have been placed in our preschool program by RISE Special Services, as a part of their community placement. These children receive support and therapy from RISE staff, while benefiting from the preschool experience with their peers in our program.

Our three oldest classes continue to enjoy their chapel time with Pastor Greg once each week. The children look forward to this time of sharing Bible stories, faith lessons, and praise songs. We also had two “Loving Hearts Sundays” this year, inviting our families to join in worship with the Southminster Presbyterian families.

Again this year we collected socks as our Christmas outreach project. We collected 238 pairs of socks, which were sent to Servant’s Heart of Indy, to share with their clients.

Our first major fundraiser was a rummage sale in the spring; it was so successful that we have another planned for 2011! We also had two Parents’ Nights Out as fundraisers.

We plan to offer a Summer Day Camp program in 2011 for elementary-age children. We learned from the many phone calls we received last summer that this is a real need in our community, and we would like to see Southminister Presbyterian help meet that need.

We are blessed to have the guidance and leadership of the Loving Hearts board, led by Kathy Walters, and we are grateful for their continued support in so many ways. We also appreciate the prayers and on-going support of the entire church family.

Sarah Maple and Starla Hilgert
Loving Hearts Co-Directors