LURAY – When the new playground equipment arrived in August for the Panther Paws child care facility in Luray, within 15 minutes, community members were stopping by, and a local business showed up with a forklift and started unloading giant crates weighing 1,000 pounds each. The whole street was full of people watching the activity.

A Hansen Foundation grant covered costs of remodeling a vacant school building for child care. Patterson Family Foundation funds covered the cost of unanticipated electrical issues and purchasing supplies, and Childcare Aware funding purchased playground equipment, supplies and other equipment.

In October, five children were being cared for. A part-time staff member was being sought to increase the number of children to 10 by December.