SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020 | 5A
Sprouts
from 1A
When asked about the
social media post, Aaron
said she felt it embellished
the details of the incident
and made it seem worse
than it was.
“There was an incident,
I’m not denying that at all,
but it’s not nearly as dra-
matic as it’s been made to
be on Facebook,” she said.
According to Aaron, the
child was only out of the
yard for a brief moment
before the teacher noticed
he had gotten out.
“The aide had taken a
kiddo inside to go potty
and the other seven kids
were all around the sand-
box,” Aaron said. “One
little guy was screaming
LENA FELT/SIUSLAW NEWS
because he had sand in his
eyes, and one of the other
The back fence gate (above), where the playground is located, is where the tod-
little boys was able to push
dler reportedly managed to get out, crossing the parking lot onto 17th street
the gate open and walk out
just north of the lot.
into the parking lot. The
teacher looked up, saw to them what happened,” tion, garnishing more than parent when they came
him, ran out and grabbed said Aaron. “I called my 150 comments and reac- into the daycare as she pre-
him. There was a lady who landlord and said I need tions from upset commu- ferred to answer any ques-
had stopped the car on the this fixed immediately. I nity members, including tion or concern immedi-
side of the road, I guess. called a contractor to have several former employees ately. “That was the choice
That’s when the teach- them come out and give and concerned parents of I made, not knowing it
er scooped him up and me a quote for addition- children who attended Lit- was going to end up on
brought him back inside.”
al fencing and different tle Sprouts.
social media before I had a
Aaron said that she im- kinds of locks on the gate.
One parent, Amber chance to talk to them.”
mediately went to check I wrote a letter to notify the Harris, said she found out
Shelby
Clark’s
the gate, at which point parents of every kiddo in- about the incident through 15-month-old daughter at-
she noticed the latched was volved and gave them the Facebook and never heard tended Little Sprouts part-
broken. Because the gate is letter upon pickup.”
anything
from
Little time and wasn’t there the
rarely used except to take
Aaron also explained Sprouts, even after it was day the incident occurred.
garbage out once a week, that she closed the play- closed on July 15. Upset However, Clark said she
Aaron and her staff didn’t ground down and was not by what she said felt like was notified by Aaron the
notice the broken latch be- going to allow children a lack of communication day it happened via text.
fore then. Once she found back into the area until it and negligence by Little
“Tracy reached out to me
it, Aaron said she did ev- was fixed. “I did everything Sprout’s, Harris said she and indicated there was an
erything possible to reme- I was supposed to do and wouldn’t take her son back incident with a child get-
dy the problem.
followed all the rules, and to the center even if it re- ting out of a back gate, no
“I immediately called the then I thought it was over,” opened after 90 days.
one was injured and exag-
state and reported it to my Aaron said.
When asked why some gerations were being post-
licensing officer. I called
But it wasn’t.
parents hadn’t been con- ed on social media,” said
the parents of the kiddo
The Facebook post tacted, Aaron said she Clark.
who got out and explained gained immediate atten- planned to notify each
When she heard the
news, Clark said she was
upset but felt reassured
that Aaron was taking the
proper steps to address the
incident.
“I have seen the way Tra-
To include your organization in this directory,
cy cares about the children,
her business and constant-
please call us @ 541-997-3441
ly updating things to make
for a great facility to take
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
your children to,” she said.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
2705 Munsel Lake Road, All are welcome!
Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
“I also saw how quickly she
Zoom Worship Service 11 AM Sunday
Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m., Wed. Bible Study 6pm-7pm
already had a contractor
Bishop Larry Farnsworth 541-999-1979
Website: florence4square.com
coming the next day to not
only fix the gate but to get
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A.
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
21st & Spruce Street – 997-8113
a bid on building an extra
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
Pastor Rachel Simonson – All are welcome
outer fence.”
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –
Sermons are on YouTube at
However, not everyone
Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
https://youtu.be/jcTJVWp_6ps.
held
the same sentiment as
www.florencenewlife Lutheran.org
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
Clark. Several former em-
Corner of 10th & Maple- 541-997-3533
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
ployees made comments
Sunday Live Services: 9am & 11am
3996 N Hwy 101 541-997-7136
under the Facebook post
(please pre-register)
Internet and in person Sunday services at 10AM,
alleging that this was not
Facebook Streaming: 11am Sunday morning
Call the church for details.
https://www.florencecrossroadag.org/church-online
Reverend Greg Wood
an isolated event and that
Other platforms update after the service.
All Welcome. Come as you are.
the daycare has a history of
florencecrossroadag.org
not following state regula-
office@florencecrossroadag.org
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
tions.
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SBC
Since we meet in homes, we are taking a mindful pause.
But, according to OCC,
Call 997-4237 or 902-9511 for information.
1935 25th St. – 997-7660 • Pastor, Ron Allen
it had not received any
Services on Facebook live
prior reports of violations
Sunday’s at 11:00 am
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH,
or any record of violations
L.C.M.S.
Wednesday’s at 6:00 pm
All Bible studies held at the church including
Every Sun., Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship Service 10 a.m.
identified by the state.
Sunday morning, Thursday Ladies study, and
85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
Though many of the for-
DVD of Weekly worship service available.
Children’s Programs are suspended.
mer
employees who com-
Blessings on you and your family.
Pastor Randy Benscoter
mented did not get into
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
details about their allega-
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Faith – Friendship - Fellowship – Fun
CHURCH DIRECTORY
tions against Aaron, one
of them, Cheyenne Harris,
commented “there are no
excuses for the things that
happened while we worked
there. There is no ‘other
side of the story.’ It was ne-
glect not to follow the basic
rules set out by the depart-
ment of early childhood
education. I quit because I
feared I would get in trou-
ble for the things I was
forced to do which I knew
were against the law. And
I tried to go to the licens-
ing lady and it was brushed
under the rug even though
I had strong evidence —
texts, sign-in sheets, pic-
tures, etc.”
Siuslaw News reached
out to the former employ-
ees for additional com-
ments, but none wished to
make any further public
statements.
In the meantime, the Of-
fice of Child Care is con-
ducting an ongoing inves-
tigation about the incident
and other allegations for-
mer employees have made.
Amber Harris said that
she hopes the business
will not open again unless
it takes the proper mea-
sures to assure a safer en-
vironment for the children.
Clark echoed the need for
more protective measures.
“Having the gate fixed
and working towards an
extra outer gate would
ease any type of worry I
may have,” Clark said. “But
again, I feel they were en
route to get the situation
addressed before being
shut down.”
Aaron said she had made
plans to add an additional
fence around the proper-
ty for a while, but because
of COVID-19 she was not
able to afford to hire a
contractor sooner. If Little
Sprouts does reopen, Aar-
on said significant changes
will be made to improve
the security of the building.
“We would add addi-
tional staffing for all out-
door play so that way there
is a third person out there,”
Aaron said. “We were going
to add magnetic locks to all
the gates as well as alarms,
so that if a gate was opened
an alarm would sound.
“We were also going to
install an additional round
of four-foot fencing that
went all the whole length
of the parking lot to the
corner and then ran up to
the ramps.”
Yet, Aaron isn’t sure any
of that will happen because
she may not be able to af-
ford an attorney to fight for
her operating license back.
“I don’t know that I’ll be
able to reopen after this,”
she said. “I’m not in any
mind to totally make that
decision at this moment.
“But realistically, I’m a
single mom with four kids
I have to take care of and I
can’t bankrupt us to try to
save this either.”
Siuslaw
News
+
2135 19th St. –- 997-6600
2nd & Ivy - 541-997-2961 - Non-Denominational
One service, at 9:00 AM, each Sunday in July.
Service is on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Reservations are required.
Our service is also available via Zoom.
Call 541-997-6600 or e-mail standressecretary19@gmail.
Contact us at office@florencechurch.com
com and state name & number of people in your family
for log-in information.
that plan to attend.
Weather permitting, service may be held outdoors in the
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Labyrinth Area behind the church.
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
Face masks, hand sanitizing and social distancing are
1833 Tamarack Street
required both indoors and outside.
(2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE DUNES
www.churchofchristflorence.org
CATHOLIC CHURCH
1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312
FLORENCE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
COVID-19 Compliant Masses have been scheduled.
12th and Nopal – 997-9020
Please call our office for details.
Services will be available via YouTube.
Follow the link at http://florencenaz.church/
FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
1318 Rhododendron Dr. • 541-997-2523
Sunday Service 11am ( Children Sunday School)
Mid-Week Activities, all ages.
STOP BY AND SEE US...
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.
FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road
All are welcome to explore the answer.
In lieu of our regular service, we will be
videotaping the sermon and have it available from
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UC1h3s3lhuRKRCXNxbF8H3Nw).
www.FlorenceUUF.org - (541) 997.2840
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
Link to Sunday services at
www.florenceunitedmethodist.org
or find us on Facebook.
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