Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Contribution to cover nearly a third of new Hartley facility's cost
Hartley Community Daycare Director Kaity Pedley received a $500,000 donation from the Heerde family via the United Way on Tuesday to help pay for construction of a new facility.
Once constructed, the new daycare will increase enrollment capacity from 67 to 110.
Momentum for Hartley's new daycare reached a fever pitch on Tuesday thanks to a huge donation.
The Heerde family, of Spirit Lake, officially contributed $500,000 to the Hartley Community Daycare Center's fundraising efforts. The donation was orchestrated by the United Way, which was one of 10 area non-profits to receive funds generated by the sale of the Heerde family's farmland.
"It was phenomenal," said daycare Director Kaity Pedley. "We couldn't even think of building without these types of funds and the generosity of the Heerde family. This is an investment the community will benefit from for years to come."
The Heerdes owned hundreds of acres of farm ground northwest of Fostoria, valued at around $24 million. A total of 1,359 acres of land was sold in 2022 – $14,067 per acre on average – all of which was previously owned by Willie and Earnedine Heerde and their four children. Heerde and his kids – each of whom lived with a disability – worked on the farm together for many years.
Pedley said the daycare learned of the donation in spring of 2023, which sparked discussion about constructing a new building. With plans in place and land secured to build, the money was officially passed over to the daycare this week.
Pedley said there is potential for more. The family's trust will donate up to $150,000 in matching funds for every dollar raised locally.
Large contributions from private citizens and corporate sponsors have gotten the ball rolling already. Recently, Valero Renewables informed the daycare it would be donating $50,000 to the cause.
"Every dollar matters and we greatly appreciate the support we've received so far," said Pedley.
A groundbreaking date for the $1.7 million facility is still unknown, but daycare officials are hoping for late fall. The location of the building will be released in the future once the land transfer is finalized.
"A new daycare here will bring more people into the community and expand opportunities for Hartley to grow," Pedley said.
Space constraints and other struggles at the current daycare facility sparked discussion about building new over the past year. It was constructed in 1920 with an expansion added in 1955, and several maintenance-related issues have caused headaches during the past two years. Around $56,000 was spent in renovations and repairs last year alone.
The new facility will create more space to address a demand for care – capacity will increase from 67 now to 110. That will allow the daycare to provide more programming opportunities for children and expand its after-school offerings.
"There is a childcare shortage in Iowa and we have a long waiting list with minimal openings," Pedley said. "We get a lot people from surrounding communities that I can't take because of lack of space. That has been exacerbated recently by people who've been displaced because of flooding."
Floor plans for the daycare have been sent to state officials for review and approval. While there are still many moving parts, Pedley was excited about how far things have progressed this year.
"Our goal is to have ground broken by snowfall," she said. "Everyone who's been working on this is eager to make this facility a reality for the community."
