I am writing to address the possible termination of the contract with the River Forest Community Center. I am not familiar with the legal issues, but I know from having lived in River Forest for 36 years that the programming the RFCC offers is a priceless asset to the community.
Like many other young families, we moved to River Forest because it is a lovely community with excellent schools. We raised our five children in the village, and when we were looking for ways to become part of the community, we found the Community Center’s Early Childhood programs. My husband joined the RFCC Board, and the children and I joined many RFCC Mom and Tot classes. These classes laid the groundwork for friendships for all of us that have lasted ever since. We also sent all of the kids to the wonderful preschool classes at RFCC, which provided first-rate foundations for their success at District 90’s schools.
When the kids became adults, I became a member of the D90 school board, on which I served for eight years, the last two as president. In that role, I continued to appreciate the impact of the RFCC programs for kids of all ages, which build the strong social and emotional skills children need to succeed.
I know that many parents depend on RFCC programming to provide care for their kids both before and after school, and that quality early childhood programming contributes significantly to our strong property values. I hope the RFCC programs can continue to support young families now and in the future.
Barbara Hickey
River Forest