TOLEDO, Ohio — It's cheers to 50 years for Love 'n Learn Educational Child Care center which started under a different name a half-century ago. Dozens of people showed up for a celebration on Saturday to mark the occasion.
Despite the name change, former owner Connie Spevak says the center still adheres to the same principle it has since the beginning, treat everyone like family.
The facility has been on Secor Road since 2004.
One father who took part in the celebration, Nate Cook, has had two of his daughters age out of the program over the last 20 years. He says his eldest daughter, who's now in college, was among the first attendees when Love 'n Learned moved in.
"It's been fun watching them grow," Cook said. "She started here at this location before even Love 'n Learn did. Miss Connie said basically, Noah came with the building. Yeah, I mean, that's pretty impressive."
According to Spevak, the childcare business started in a church basement under the name Holy Cross Daycare. Spevak says her parents started the daycare in 1974.
"It started with four children. I remember every one of them, sleeping on Army cots in the basement of the church. A year later, there were 100 children," said Spevak.
Spevak said the sudden increase was because women's role in society and the household was evolving. So, when childcare was offered in a local church basement, word spread quickly.
"It wasn't just single moms. It was moms who wanted to go have a life, who wanted to go be empowered by being employed," said Spevak.
She said from 1975 on, Holy Cross Day Care took in large numbers of children, who grew to become like family.
The daycare's current director, Renee Currie, says she's seen the Love 'n Learn family evolution firsthand.
"I have been fortunate enough to work here for 15 years, raise my children in this building with me. We have families that are 3-generation families," said Currie.
Both Currie and Spevak agree the businesses continues to have strong attendance, in part, due to how the facility is run using the Ohio Department of Education's Step Up to Quality Rating system. Love'n Learn joined when it was a pilot program.
In addition, Love'n Learn was one of the first facilities in Ohio to receive a top rating in the program.
Here's to another 50 years.
MORE FROM WTOL 11: