BLOOMSBURG -- Some families in Columbia County learned they need to find new day care centers for their children by May 3. Gordon Thompson Learning Center near Bloomsburg plans to close.
Nine month old Shelby Frye played with employees at Gordon Thompson Learning Center near Bloomsburg. Shelby's family moved to Columbia County one and a half years ago. Her dad said the day care center is like a second home to Shelby and her older brother Drew.
"The day care is fantastic, I mean extraordinary experiences. Our son Drew had speech delays where they actually brought in speech to help correct his speech and now he's where he needs to be," said Stanley Frye.
Gordon Thompson Learning Center, off Route 11 near Bloomsburg, is owned by David Thompson Mailing Corporation. Earlier this week parents were told the owners cut funding for this center, and the place is scheduled to close early next month.
"Over time, little by little, the center wasn't making budget. It wasn't as profitable as it could be in order to hold its own. Thompson would be subsidizing it," said Director of Curriculum and Program Development, Leanne Grace.
Employees said 75 children currently attend day care at Gordon Thompson Learning Center. There are 25 employees who will lose their jobs.
"The loss for these families is the consistency of high quality care they have always depended on. Of course the wonderful partnership with the staff to feel like one big family," said Grace.
Parents and staff members are hopeful the center will be able to stay open. They hope another business takes over sponsorship of the facility.
"It might not be one sponsor, it could be a partnership, and two sponsors," said Grace.
Families like the Fryes are concerned about taking their kids to an unfamiliar place.
"Potentially I have to put him in a new, unfamiliar atmosphere where he'll probably regress and there are strangers. He actually loves going to daycare," said Frye.
The Gordon Thompson Learning Center near Bloomsburg is scheduled to close on May 3.