NEW GLARUS — At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, Green County Child Care Network and Child Care Matters presents a free event: Community Conversation for Change. The event will be hosted at The Growing Tree Child Care Center, 11 13th Ave, in New Glarus. 

Pizza and water will be provided, along with child care on-site. Brooke Skidmore, co-owner and administrator of The Growing Tree, and Corrine Hendrickson, owner of Corrine’s Little Explorers Family Child Care, will co-host an information and engaging presentation about the importance of the first five years of a child’s life. 

The supports the child care professionals provide families as they navigate childrearing. How the early childhood educators’ relationships with the children they care for and educate build the foundation for all future social and academic success. That employers rely on high quality, accessible, and affordable child care for recruitment and retention of employees. Finally, how all community members also benefit, and how communities can support child care; ensuring children, families and, local economies thrive.