Published: August 26, 2009 12:56 am      

KENMORE: Day care celebrates 25th anniversary

Thirty years ago, Debi Beaumont was working at an area day care center when she was asked by the owner to hire 17-year-old Debby Sciandra to join the staff.

“She’s just a kid,” Beaumont recalls saying. “I was only 25 myself and fresh out of college, and that’s how I met Debby.”

That friendship and interest in children grew and in 1984, Beaumont, Debby and her husband Ron Sciandra, started their own child care facility, Tiny Treasures Day Care, at 1287 Military Road in Kenmore.

The two women are now celebrating their 25th year on Sunday with a picnic at Sheridan Park, inviting current and former parents, children, and staff members to attend.

Beaumont’s degree is in education, but when she graduated from college there were few teacher positions open. So she turned to day care.

“When the day care I was working for closed, Debby and I decided to become partners,” Beaumont said.

“It’s unique that we’ve been (in the same place) 25 years. In fact the children that we raised are bringing their children back here. That’s when you know you did a good job, when they bring their children back. I love what I do. It’s not a money making thing. I’d make so much more (money) working in a school,” she laughed.

Debby Sciandra commented that after she was married all she wanted to do was be a stay at home mom.

“Because of our day care, I could stay home with my kids,” Sciandra said. “At first I worked intermittently, filling in for vacations. When the children were older, they came here and in fact my daughters work here now.”

The day care facility promotes a family atmosphere with parents, children and staff operating more as a big family than a business, Sciandra said.

Over the years the center has had many moms, daughters and family members as staff. Currently Beaumont’s niece and Sciandra’s daughters Jenn and Julie, work at Tiny Treasures.

“Both Jenn and Julie have received degrees in early childhood and are planning on operating the day care in future years,” their mom said.

“Working with babies is the best of both worlds,” Sciandra said as she rocked an infant. “It’s my favorite thing to do. Lots of the babies come at 6:30 a.m. and we take care of them when they are so little.”

The two women agreed that starting a day care center entailed following strict state guidelines which meant that the building they selected on Military Road had to be totally remodeled and fire rated.

“We followed all the rules,” Beaumont said.

The day care recently added a large outdoor playground which, Beaumont said, the children love. There’s an after school program for 6- to 12-year-olds with activities every day and the center offers a summer camp program for the older children.

“I can’t wait to come to work in the morning,” Debby Sciandra said. “There’s no better job in the world.”

Contact community editor Barbara Tucker at 693-1000, ext. 110.