The C.A.R.E. program has been around for nearly 12 years and is more formally known as the Churchill Aquatics Recreation Enrichment program. The popular after-school program run by Churchill County Parks & Recreation will be moving to their new location at the old Cottage School buildings on April 4 just in time for Spring Break.
Jorge Guerrero is the Parks & Recreation Director who oversees the program, with Robyn Openshaw as the Recreation Supervisor and Beth Webb the Recreation Coordinator in charge of the youth in the CARE program. The program typically runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with a full day on Friday as well as regular school holidays.
Serving 70 local youth from the ages of six to twelve years old, with a waitlist, C.A.R.E. had typically served 30 youth but grew exponentially during COVID. Guerrero said that when the school district went to half-days during COVID, C.A.R.E. expanded to full days, taking the off-track students who for example had school in the morning and then would go to C.A.R.E. in the afternoon. The program moved from a modular building at the Fairgrounds to Northside where it ultimately served over 70 students daily.
Once students returned to school, they stayed with the C.A.R.E. program which was moved back to the Fairgrounds, but the original building was quickly outgrown. The county had the opportunity to work a trade with the City of Fallon which owned the Cottage School property, for the old Senior Center facility located on Court and South East Street. Using the building reserve fund, commissioners approved $60,000 this year for the re-purposing project of the center building at Cottages and plan next year to do the same thing with the building on the west side of the property.
County crews have been working to re-purpose, clean up, repaint, and install new windows. The plumbing has been completely redone – but do not fear – those of us who attended school at Cottages will remember the tiny child-sized toilets and can rest assured, they have been preserved and are in pristine working conditions for a new generation of Fallonites to experience. The old brick that is peeking out from under the stucco will be preserved in place as well, lending a popular “industrial” look to the façade.
C.A.R.E. provides transportation, running their bus to pick up at Lahontan, Numa, E.C. Best, and Oasis Academy starting at 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. each day. There are currently seven counselors working with students, but that can range from 5 to 15 depending on enrollment. And they also provide snacks.
Openshaw said they estimate roughly 300 students for each grade, meaning potentially there are 2,100 students in the community being served by three after-school programs. C.A.R.E. currently serves an average of 70 students a day while the Epworth Methodist Church’s Hero Club has 34 students. The Fallon Youth Club saw an average of 116 kids each day in February out of 182 members who belong to the club. There is a current and continuing need for childcare and after-school options in the community.
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