Archive: Around Town

Tomorrow (May 12) kids of all ages will get to see all kinds of trucks in a carnival-like atmosphere.  18 Wheelers, Dump trucks, The TCAT Trolley, Motorcycles, 4 Wheelers, Sports Cars, Construction Vehicles, John Deere Tractors, Go Carts Ambulances, Fire Trucks, Police Cars, Delivery Vehicles, Classic Trucks, and Cement Mixers will all be on display from 10am to 3pm at the Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3) on Warren Road.  "There are probably about eight acres of parking lot that we're using," says the center's marketing director Bill Russell.  "It's a huge site and the vehicles are going to be everywhere.  There are 40 to 50 vehicles, all huge trucks.  It's going to be a big hit with the kids."


Chaired by Julie Darby, Bethany Woodman, the truck show is the center's second biggest fund raiser for its scholarship fund.  The fund is used to award $350,000 each year to about 67% of the 240 children who attend the center.  While their winter auction is targeted at adults, Darby says the truck show is for kids.  "We picked a truck show because it's kid-oriented," she says.  "Kids of all ages can come and look at the vehicles, while the auction is for parents.  We rent a trackless train that runs along our parking lot.  We have hot dogs, pizza, soda, and live music."

In its second year, the show will be nearly four times larger than last year, with about 45 trucks.  It will fill the IC3 parking lot as well as the neighboring BOCES lot.  Kids will be able to climb into some of the trucks while their parents take pictures of them in the drivers seat.  "We have a few excavating companies that will be handing out some pens and stickers to kids.," Darby says.  "The Ithaca Police Department SWAT bus is one of our biggest draws.  They talk to kids about what they do and kids can actually get on the bus and see all the high tech stuff that they have."

Darby says another attraction that is a big hit with kids are the radio controlled cars, which Woodman's father brings.  Other interactive activities include bounce houses, face painting, and sensory tables.  DJs from I-100 Classic Rock will be broadcasting live from the event, and live performances are also planned, including  the band 'We Three Trees.'   Band member Matthew Vendryes is a substitute teacher at the center.


IC3 is a not for profit organization, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited, providing a professional staff in an impressive facility.  "We require all of our teachers to have an associates degree in child development," Russell says.  "That is changing to a bachelor's degree in early childhood development.  Right now 75% of the staff has their early childhood bachelors and the other 25% is working on it.  24% have their masters.  Our small class ratio with high adult supervision sets us apart from everyone else."

Russell says that teachers stay with their students all the way from eight months to three years old, so the kids have continuity as they age through the program.  The Warren Road facility includes 5 infant classroom, 5 toddler classrooms, and 4 pre-K classrooms.  Class sizes are small, with 6 kids in each infant class, 10 in each toddler class, and 15 - 18 in each pre-K class.  A second facility at Kendall has an infant room and a toddler room.  Kids there interact with older residents of the facility, and even have lunch with residents in the cafeteria there.  "The residents there get a kick out of it and play a big role with the kids," Darby says.

Darby says the truck show is growing, and she expects it to continue to grow.  She and Russell note that fundraisers often lose money until they are established, but this show did make money in its first year.  And they are adapting to feedback from people who came last year, including the bounce house and train rides in the $7 admission.  "It's just going to be a lot of fun," Darby says.

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