When the Valley Christian Childcare Center closed in St. Clairsville during the height of the pandemic, it created a void for many families in and around the county seat.
After all, as the only childcare facility in town that accepts publicly funded families, more than 80 percent of the facility’s clientele were now without a childcare option.
It didn’t take long for the VCCC’s original owners, Rezin and Christi Howes, to contact the most recent administrator, Dawn Turner, about opening up a facility.
“Christi knew my passion for it and, once we closed down, 80 percent of our clientele didn’t have daycare because no one (else) takes them. A lot of people were struggling, and she knew I was worried about that.
“She also knew that I liked the Christian aspect of the daycare, and that was important also.”
The Howes were the original owners of VCCC before selling it but were familiar with Turner as she served as the administrator for the facility’s final four years.
After pairing the Howes business sense with Turner’s dedication to the children and the program, they re-opened as the Heritage Christian Childcare Center and Heritage Christian Youth Center. The Howes primarily handle the business side with Turner directing the staff in caring for and educating the children.
The childcare facility accepts infants through 5-year-olds while the youth center handles before and aftercare for students ages 6 through 12. Both also offer summer care.
Heritage is located at the site of the former VCC at 52325 National Road in St. Clairsville, adjacent to the C.A. House Music parking lot.
The building previously housed both the younger and older children, but Monday, Heritage Christian Youth Center opened a few doors down, providing the older children their own separate building—all 2,500 square feet of it.
“The children helped design it when we were going through that process,” Turner admitted. “We asked them what they wanted and certain aspects of that we were able to do. We are really happy down there.”
Since both facilities are open 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, the youth center can offer before and aftercare for students, particularly St. Clairsville and St. Mary’s students as they can be picked up and dropped off by the bus.
The school-age students who utilize the new youth center helped design the rooms and what would fill them. 
Filling That Need
As Turner stated, Heritage is the only St. Clairsville facility that accepts Job and Family Services families. Working in a similar capacity for the last four years, she got to know a lot of the families and knows how critical the need for childcare is.
“There are a lot of single parents and grandparents, and they don’t have a lot of money. But they have to work, and to be able to provide this service is really, really important,” Turner said. “They know when they are here, they are cared for. They can go to work, and their children will be fine.”
That’s what sets Heritage apart from the other fine facilities in St. Clairsville. Additionally, the Christian aspect is unique to Heritage.
Heritage’s academics incorporate all state standards, so nothing is missed. But there’s a Christian twist put into the curriculum as well. The kids will also sing Bible songs and listen to stories from the Bible.
Because of that, Turner and the Howes have a more stringent vetting process for potential employees and instructors.
“It’s very important to find staff who can mimic the beliefs and set an example for the children,” Turner said. “If you’re going to teach it, you need to be an example of it.”
Prospective staff members are brought in for a working interview that generally lasts a couple of hours. Afterward, they meet with the owners to discuss the experience and go further in-depth. A third interview will then take place before a new staff member is hired.
It’s a bit extensive, but they want to ensure they are hiring the right candidates for the facility and the children.
“We don’t just want to hire a body,” Turner said. “It takes a long time, plus you have two weeks’ worth of training. We want to make sure we’re hiring someone worthwhile that will fit in with our mission.”
Expanded Offerings
Another benefit is that Heritage is literally always open during the workweek.
There are only three days a year the facility closes during the week—Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and Thanksgiving. Every other holiday, the doors are open. That includes during winter and spring break when other facilities may close.
The facility also remains open during snowstorms, unless Belmont County is under a Level 3 snow emergency. For levels 1 and 2, it’s business as usual.
During the summertime, the youth center will still hold its 12-week summer camp program, complete with three field trips per week.
“You pay the registration fee, and that gets you into all the trips,” Turner said. “Tuesdays we go swimming, Wednesdays are our longer, 1-hour trips, and on Thursdays we tend to stay local. We also have our own bus that provides the transportation.”
Mondays and Fridays during the summer, the school-age children will hang out at the youth center. The other three days will be the field trips.
For more information, check out Heritage Christian Childcare Center and Youth Center online or on its Facebook page.
