Hampton hosts ribbon cutting for new daycare center

HAMPTON, Neb. (KSNB) - Affordable and accessible childcare is a problem throughout the state of Nebraska, but the village of Hampton is solving the problem in their community.

Hampton Public Schools Foundation purchased the former Hampton Lutheran Elementary from neighboring church, St. Peter Lutheran for $150,000. The building is now Hampton Daycare Center.

"We have had a need in our community to have a daycare center for quite some time," said parent, Katelyn Goertzen. "Historically we've had two to three that are in-house and one of them retired and one of them moved on to other job opportunities and so we really had a need in our community for our young children as our community continues to grow."

Like many parents in Hampton, Goertzen is also a teacher at Hampton Public Schools. Residents are also happy after years of the building being empty, it has new life.

"It's wonderful," said Hampton resident Sharon Kloute. "I had three kids that went to the Lutheran School and when it closed that was very sad. We hated to see that happen. So when they decided to do the daycare here, it's wonderful and it's very much needed in the Hampton community."

Katelyn Goertzen's older kids went to an in-home daycare provider, but her youngest goes to Hampton Daycare Center; and she's seeing the benefits.

"One of the ways I see is that it can build some different social skills in our kids as they continue to move from early childhood into the preschool and the kindergarten elementary classrooms," said Goertzen. "I think that's a big benefit for our kids to be able to expose them to different social aspects so that they can grow into those different new classrooms as they get bigger."

Hampton Daycare Center can serve up to 44 kids, there are currently 14 enrolled.