Twenty years ago, Alecia Dillmann started Raising Daisies Daycare in Berthoud. She is hoping families she has served will return to mark the daycare’s 20th anniversary with an open house held the afternoon of Saturday, June 1. Reaching the 20-year mark means children who once came to daycare center are now adults coming back to enroll their own children or for jobs.
“It is a beautiful thing,” Dillmann said. “We have had children who attended the program years back who are now applying to work for (Raising Daisies).” Dillmann said she started the daycare because of a strong passion to work with children.
“I have always had a strong connection to the children and they flock to me. I had first started out with babysitting. Then I took a gym nursery job that led me to a nanny position as I was attending college for early childhood professions,” she said.
Like many businesses, the outbreak of COVID-19 gave the daycare some difficulties. “The pandemic was an unknown, challenging time for us as for everyone,” she recounted. “We had to lower ratios and social distance.
Parents were not allowed in the facility and quarantining classrooms made it difficult for working parents. Having to have small children wear masks made it hard for them to communicate and function,” she said. “Our families were patient and we are very fortunate to be in business after the pandemic.
“A big thank you goes out to the staff, families and community for the support and guidance.
