Creative Beginnings 'home for the holidays' after hurricane recovery

Anyone walking into Creative Beginnings today would find it difficult to believe that only 10 weeks ago two feet of floodwaters ravaged the facility.

Creative Beginnings, a child care staple in the Morganton community since 1999, reopened Dec. 2 after sustaining nearly $350,0000 worth of damage from Hurricane Helene.

The expedited restoration was made possible by the help of family and community support, grants, donations, and partnerships.

On Sunday, Dec. 15, the business will host an open house to recognize everyone who played an integral part in the rapid reopening.

“So many people did so much during this time to ensure Creative Beginnings could reopen and continue serving the families of Burke County,” said Jan Wyatt, the child care center’s owner.

In new classrooms, children played, ate snacks, and practiced Christmas carols in preparation for Sunday’s event.

“The walls, the floors, everything was destroyed … it was almost a total loss. The things that parents and the community have donated have been overwhelming,” Wyatt said. “We were able to fill them (classrooms) with everything the state wants the children to have, so it’s been wonderful.”

According to Wyatt, the building sustained extensive flood damage. Wyatt credits Denise Hudson, director of Creative Beginnings, as being the first onsite after the storm.

“She contacted everyone and was available onsite every day,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt said her family, including her five children and grandchildren, traveled cross country bringing in contractors to assist with demolition and cleanup. Two other family members temporarily relocated to Morganton, staying in their camper to oversee the building’s restoration to become fully operational.

Creative Beginnings has 29 staff members and provides care for up to 199 children. The center provides care for children, infants to age 12.

“Ms. Diane Nations, who has opened Creative Beginnings every day for 15 years, greeting our families, supporting our staff, and providing delicious meals, continued to support our families and staff at one of our temporary sites,” Wyatt said.

In the newly renovated building, teachers decorated the doors and windows of their classrooms.

Andrea Corder, teacher at Creative Beginnings, spoke highly of the center’s leadership during the transition.

“I helped here a bit and we went to Oak Hill and worked over there. It was an adjustment. They worked with us and made sure we were taken care of. We got paid through the whole thing,” Corder said. “I think we grew closer as a family. They are awesome. I can’t imagine working for anyone else,” Corder said.

During the transition, Wyatt said 20 teachers remained working at temporary sites, Oak Hill Elementary and Morganton First Baptist Church. Other staff members helped clean and set up the renovated building.

“We were able to provide care to 80 children at these two sites, during the renovations of our building. We are so thankful for these two opening their doors to us during our time of need,” Wyatt said.

Parents Dillon Tysinger and Taylor Ballew entered the facility Monday afternoon to pick up their children. The parents have two children who attend Creative Beginnings.

“We constantly got updates,” Tysinger said.

“They called – it was actually Denise, the director herself, that called to let us know about the temporary setup and coordinate those things,” Ballew said. “The communication was really good.”

According to Hudson, early childhood companies donated items. Neighboring business Stone & Leigh offered assistance, storing the center’s salvageable items in its warehouse, while churches donated cribs and rugs. Hudson also named Kelly Construction and All in One of Raleigh for their work restoring the facility.

“Many people have said it was a miracle that we were able to open in nine weeks,” Wyatt began. “We feel the miracle was the people who came together to support us – the Creative Beginnings family of teachers and administrators, family members, contractors, and the community.”

Wyatt credited the Burke County Partnership for Children as being instrumental in providing Creative Beginnings with support to continue providing care to Burke families.

“The reason for the open house is to acknowledge everyone. The open house is a celebration,” Wyatt said. “We’re home for the holidays, basically we’re back for the holidays.”

The open house at Creative Beginnings is Sunday, Dec. 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will recognize those who contributed to reopening efforts and welcome new students. Santa will be there and the center’s students will sing Christmas carols. The community is invited.