Village comes together to support its 'Little Panthers'

McCOMB — Hancock County – like much of Ohio, and the nation – is facing a childcare shortage. There aren't enough slots available, especially affordable ones. And creating a new childcare center from scratch tends to be complicated and expensive. But as Findlay and other communities navigate how to address this, the village of McComb can offer a glimpse of a childcare center younger than many of those who spend their days there. After the community identified a need, everyone began working together and funding was secured, Little Panthers Learning Center opened in August 2024. Just inside the entrance is a mural, painted in 2024 by McComb High School student Cayla Collingwood. It depicts animals ranging from elephants to a snake to koalas to a toucan. Flamingos and hippos are shown in a water scene. And, of course, a panther cub bats at a bright blue butterfly, as lion and tiger cubs wrestle below it. Inside, a three-year-old girl eagerly shows off her plastic cupcake toy as, in a nearby room, a group of slightly older children dance along with a video, not far from a cardboard castle they have decorated with their own crayon drawings. Down the hall, babies crawl around, exploring their surroundings. Mayor Cathy Schroll said she recognizes Little Panthers as a blessing to the community every time she drives by. But only a few years ago, it was the blessing McComb knew it needed but wasn't sure how to create. The project began when McComb resident Deb Ewing mentioned the need to Angela DeBoskey, then CEO of United Way of Hancock County, at a Rotary meeting. Ewing's daughter is raising her grandchildren, Ewing's great-grandchildren, and the family was well aware of the need for more childcare options in McComb. DeBoskey pulled together some others from Findlay to discuss how to address the need. Schroll, meanwhile, had been hearing at the village council that there was a need for childcare, and she and Ewing gathered other village residents to be part of the planning team. Hancock Regional Planning was able to help them secure $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act grant funding. "So we were really lucky, really blessed," Ewing said. Ewing said that many community members who had offered babysitting or in-home childcare stopped when the COVID pandemic hit. Other parents and community members were telling her there were few options. Ewing stressed that many other organizations, such as the McComb Public Library, were trying to be there for the community's children however they could. "But they were becoming babysitters for people, you know, after school, and that wasn't what they were there for," she said. "Everybody had the same concern." The group planning the new childcare center looked at a couple of buildings in town, but they would have needed a lot of work to be up to code. The village already owned land on Ohio 235, next to Dollar General, and they determined the best plan was to build from scratch on that land. Keith and Lisa Alt, who already owned a childcare center in Putnam County, were selected to own and operate the new McComb center. They now lease the building from the village. "First, you have to get an architect that understands childcare regulations," Keith Alt said. Safety requirements include a specific ratio of square feet of space per child and exits throughout making it easy to evacuate children in case of a fire. Schroll recalled having had to change one of the sidewalks to ensure it was the right grade to swiftly evacuate infants in cribs in a fire drill. It was the kind of thing she'd never thought about before, she said. The Alts were able to obtain a $500,000 Ohio Access Grant to furnish the inside of the center, create a playground and pay for amenities such as staff parking. Schroll called this, too, a miracle. The village had been gifted some used tables and chairs, but she had had no idea how much it would take to furnish the center and "the village did not have that kind of funding." The Alts were familiar with the field. Lisa's parents had started a new daycare in Ottawa in 1989, known as Loving Care Learning Center. Keith and Lisa had started out as an accountant and a nurse, and hadn't planned originally to take over the family business. But they bought the center in 2001. Their daughter, Carly, also helps, managing tasks from enrollment to billing. Lisa said the field has its challenges, but spending time with the children is a joy. "Staffing is a big challenge. It's a very hard and demanding job to work in a childcare center," she said. "But the kids are so rewarding…. I mean, they're just so fun, they're loving, their hugs and kisses. It's just amazing." The Alts came up with the name "Little Panthers," a nod to the McComb School District mascot. In keeping with this theme, Lisa said, they plan to change the Ottawa location's name to "Little Titans Learning Center." They also now own and operate a center in Columbus Grove. Ewing said staff at Little Panthers send pictures of children during the day. "It's really fun, because you can see them enjoying their day," she said. The afterschool program for school-aged children includes activities at the library, or going swimming, allowing them to take advantage of the community. Little Panthers is licensed for 84 children, from the age of six weeks to 12 years old. Schroll noted that these children aren't just McComb residents. Children living in Hancock, Wood, Putnam, Wyandot and Seneca counties can all be found at Little Panthers. Ewing said families appreciate that the hours are flexible, with Little Panthers open from 6 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. A McComb resident working in, say, Perrysburg might struggle to pick up their child at exactly 3 or 4 p.m., which is required by some childcare centers. Carly Alt said they built this flexibility in deliberately, as "everybody's schedules are so different." Little Panthers also offers families the opportunities to get childcare three days a week if it fits their schedule better than five days. Carly, also a nurse, noted that some nurses work three 12-hour days each week. Both mother and daughter said their nursing background comes in handy a lot when dealing with small children. As Lisa put it, "We get a lot of texts: 'What do you think this rash is?'" But Schroll noted that it may be the same type of people drawn to both lines of work. "Caring about people: that's the core," she said. Keith, meanwhile, has been able to use his accounting background to help run the center efficiently. He said he finds it rewarding to know that they're providing a safe and educational space for children. Schroll said Little Panthers is already beginning to outgrow its space and they are exploring ideas for how to grow. In particular, Keith said, they want to expand their summer program for school-aged children but don't have the room.