It was apropos that the retired Okanagan College (OC) instructor who spearheaded a dream of building an on-campus daycare centre at the Vernon branch was handing out sunflowers at the public launch of the Sunflower Campaign.

Lloyd Davies, who taught at OC Vernon for 15 years, was manning the sunflower table at the Plant A Seed Day launch of the Sunflower Daycare Centre campaign Wednesday, May 10. Davies and his wife, Janet Armstrong, opened the campaign with a donation of $500,000.

sa国际传媒淚 always found, many times as an instructor, students couldnsa国际传媒檛 get to an exam or an assignment because they would have problems getting childcare,sa国际传媒� said Davies. sa国际传媒淚t was an on-going problem. I always asked during meetings when a childcare centre would be added to the campus, and was always told, sa国际传媒榠tsa国际传媒檚 in the plans.sa国际传媒� So when I retired, my wife and I decided to make a splash and kickstart the daycare centre here on campus.sa国际传媒�

OC Foundation executive director Helen Jackman was on-hand Wednesday, along with her foundation colleagues, to help raise funds for the 44-seat daycare centre.

The public was invited to the college to check out fun events like yoga, line dancing, a card tournament and Lemonade Crawl, and make a donation toward the centre.

sa国际传媒淲e know our students and many people in the community have difficulty accessing childcare, so this is going to give students an incredible opportunity to access affordable daycare,sa国际传媒� said Jackman.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e got a $1.25 million campaign, and today is the public launch of the Suflower Campaign. Wesa国际传媒檝e had amazing support so far.sa国际传媒�

The foundation has already raised more than $2 million for the centre, and is now inviting the community to help raise the remaining $750,000 required to equip the facility with furnishings, supplies, and a creative outdoor space where the kids can play and learn.

The public came through on Wednesday, as Plant A Seed Day raised $66,762, which included a late donation of $25,000.

sa国际传媒淎ll donations to the Sunflower Childcare Centre received in May (up to a total of $80,000) will be matched thanks to generous community donors, including Lloyd Davies and Janet Armstrong,sa国际传媒� said Jackman. sa国际传媒淭he incredible community support we received brings us halfway to our donation goal to secure the full match funding.sa国际传媒�

You can make a donation to the campaign .

Ground was broken for the Sunflower Centre, along with the first student housing building at the Vernon campus which will feature 100 beds, on April 21.