Attendance: 77

Invocation: Dave Turner

Greeters: Dr. Bill Katip, Fred Nieter

Guests: Grant Lawrence (Steve Hollar), Shelly Searles, Lauren Klusman (Brooke Hamstra), Rob Parker (Rich Haddad)

Birthdays: Ken Anderson, John Teevan, Joe Wilkey, David Taylor, Kyrie Maierle

Announcements: 1) There will be a retirement party for John Elliott Friday, February 1, at the First Source Bank, 325 S Lake Street in Warsaw, from 3-7 p.m. Please RSVP to 574-268-1259. The Special program begins at 5:15 p.m. 2)Ron Chambers announced Club Visitation, Monday February 4, to the Noon Optimists at Grace College. 3)Chris Wiggins announced trip-Star Basketball, Sunday February 24, at Baker youth Club. Registration begins at 1:30, the event at 2 pm. Chris needs 20-25 volunteers. he also encouraged members to recruit attendees. For more information please call Chris at 574-265-8610

50/50( Frank Grose and Ron Henry): Bill Lawrence won!

Sergeants: Mitch Goon and Brittany Lyon entertained us. George Brennan was fined for joining the Kiwanis Club in Goshen, and Jason Matthews and Craig Allebach for not wearing their badges.

Program: Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce CEO Rob Parker introduced our speaker, Shelly Searles. As part of his introduction, he said our area has lost day care facilities, which is compromising area economic development. Shelly is part of the Child Care and Early Learning Coalition. Their goal is to increase access to child care and early learning. Human brain development affects learning, with the peak between birth and age 5. This includes language, sensory and higher cognitive function. Loss of child care facilities has a $1.8 billion direct cost to employers in Indiana. She said 7 hours per month are taken up looking for child care. She said only a limited number of child care spots in Kosciusko County are considered “high quality” by the state. The facility needs a rating of 3 to 4 to be considered high quality. Shelly talked about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). She presented a quote from a doctor who said “The impact of a successful approach to ACES might be as great as that of a major vaccine.” For a child to have more than two ACES has a negative impact on development. She presented a video “No Small Matter.” You can go to www.nosmallmatter.com or contact her a the Chamber for more information. In the Q and A she said child care can cost up to $80-100, and some up to $200/week. There are child care vouchers available but they can only be used at the level 3-4 facilities. A facility called “Growing Kids” will be opening in the area June 1. They need to hire 48 people to staff the facility. Some larger employees provide their own child care. For example, Warsaw High School provides child care for their employees. The biggest problem for an employer to provide child care is there is unlimited liability.