Johnnie Luehrs, Chair of the Legislative Liaison Committee, Dillon County First Steps Board, arranged a meeting with the County Delegations to review and outline strategies on the future of Dillon County First Steps recently at the Dillon County Chamber of Commerce.
The Honorable Jackie Hayes, Chair of the Dillon County Delegation and the Honorable Kent Williams, a Dillon County Delegation Member were excited to share urgent and key issues that affect our state and Dillon County. The Honorable Dick Elliott had prior commitments and was unable to attend.
The Delegation members selected Ms. Doretha Page, a current Dillon County First Steps Board Member, to replace Mr. Randolph Gurley who served on the Dillon County First Steps Board for several years.
The Delegation members suggested that we work very close with Mr. Walter Fleming, Jr., a voting member of the South Carolina First Steps Board of Trustees, Columbia, SC. The State Board of Trustees makes the policy for First Steps statewide. Mr. Fleming is the Executive Director of Pee Dee Community Action Agency Partnership/Head Start in Florence, SC.
Dillon County First Steps staff and board informed the Delegations on all that they have been working on for FY10-FY11. Dillon County First Steps has provided Child Care Training and Professional Development to allow childcare providers to obtain their certification in Dillon County. We have had 19 unduplicated childcare providers attending one or more training and 66 unduplicated childcare associates attending one or more trainings. These childcare associates represent 394 children in their care.
Dillon County First Steps has provided services with 6 Families which includes 9 children being served in our Parent As Teacher Program (PAT). Our Home Visitor has distributed 207 books and educational manipulative items to the families within 143 PAT visits.
Dillon County First Steps also provides a Quality Enhancement Program which allows Technical Assistance to be provided to two local daycares, Mother’s Love Daycare and Noah’s Ark Daycare, in order to help them climb the DSS lattice to the next level. Both daycares are awarded with $2,500.00 in curriculum materials, books and furnishings.
Mrs. Johnnie Luehrs said, “We are very fortunate to have an excellent relationship with our Legislative Delegation. We have an ‘open line of communication’ with each other. Senator Elliott, Senator Williams and Representative Hayes are aware of our needs, concerns and accomplishments.”
