A local business has been granted the Family Friendly Award by Carman Family Resource Centre. The presentation was made at CFRC's annual meeting last week.
    
Alice Richardson is manager of The Stepping Stone, an extension of Aspen Winds out of Notre Dame that offers day programming for adults with special needs. She describes its connection with the Resource Centre.

"We clean their toys, whatever they bring we clean."

She adds clients at the store also sell homemade wood items like tables, stepping stools and kids toys.

Julie Hesketh"It's mostly about the clients...and that there's a place for them to go in town."

Richardson says she plans to proudly display the Family Friendly Award certificate at the store.

Meantime, twenty years of memories were shared at the 2017 Carman Family Resource Centre AGM. Rather than bringing in a guest speaker, a chunk of time was designated for people to share their stories of how the Centre has played a role in their lives.
    
Julie Hesketh is the local public nurse, she says it's been great to see how mothers grow at the Centre and eventually learn to mentor other moms.

"I know a mom who moved here from another community and she didn't know anyone, so we in public health know who have children about the same age so then we tried to introduce her to other moms, and so we did that through the programs at the Family Resource Centre. That mom then became very involved and she started coming to programs, she then became a facilitator and then became a board member."

Heather Veldman credits CFRC with helping her become a good parent, noting the programs taught her how to play and have fun with her kids and enjoy being around them.

"It was a hard transition going from a working, single person to being a parent and then learning how to be with kids. I worked in daycare so I should know how to be with kids but being with kids twenty-four hours a day is a lot different than eight, you have to take them home and then feed them supper, listen to them cry and put them to bed, but then you come here and everyone's doing the same thing!"