Local YMCA providing free childcare for front line workers

THEIR KIDS GO... DURING THEDAY?

2 WORKS FOR YOU'SKATIE KELEHER... FOUND ABARTLESVILLE PROGRAM ISFILLING THAT NEED.

BUT IT'SGOING TO NEED SOME HELP OFITS OWN SOON.KAREN LAZEAR HAS THREE KIDSAND WORKs FULL TIME AS AHOSPICE SOCIAL WORKER.

HERTWO YOUNGER CHILDREN AREABLE TO GO TO THEIR DAYCARE- BUT HER OLDEST DAUGHTER,WHO IS NORMALLY IN SCHOOL,HAD NOWHERE TO GO.

CAUSINGLAZEAR TO CUT BACK ON HERHOURS AT WORK.06:04:50;27-06:04:56;31KAREN LAZEAR, HOSPICE SOCIALWORKER "I contacteddaycares.

I contacted otherprograms I know in town.

Butthey weren't eithernot opening or not acceptingkids." THANKFULLY FORLAZEAR, THE RICHARD KANEY-M-C-A IN BARTLESVILLEOPENED ITS DOORS.

PROVIDINGFREE DAYCARE SERVICES FORFRONTLINE WORKERS.

THEY HAVEABOUT 20 KIDS SEPARATED INTOGROUPS OF 5.

THEY PROVIDEHOT LUNCHES AND CHROMEBOOKSTO HELP THE KIDS WITH THEIRSCHOOL WORK.

IT HAS BEEN ASAVING GRACE FOR LAZEAR ANDHER DAUGHTER.06:08:02;14-06:08:15;40KAREN LAZEAR, HOSPICE SOCIALWORKER "So for her to beable to keep the sameroutine of we're getting upat the same time, mom'sgoing to work, you're goingto do what you need to doand then I pick everybodyelse up in the evening, it'sreally helped out our wholefamily.

And then she's notworried about who she'sgoing with or what she'sdoing that day." THE FREECHILDCARE PROGRAM ISEXPECTED TO END THIS WEEK.BECAUSE THE Y IS REOPENINGITS GYM TO THE PUBLIC.

THEYCAN'T SUPPORT THE FREECHILDCARE MUCH LONGER.

ANDTO KEEP THEIR REGULARCHILDCARE PROGRAM GOING -THEY NEED MORE SPACE FOR THEKIDS.

THE PROBLEM IS - THEPUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGSTHEY'D NORMALLY USE ARECLOSED.06:16:20;38-06:16:35;16ROBERT PHILLIPS, CEO,RICHARD KANE YMCA "We'vestruggled for years with thechildcare needs in thecommunity in Bartlesville sowe're looking at what we cando to continue this asworkers continue to go backto work.

There's going to bean increased, we want tomake sure that's met at areasonable rate." LAZEARSAYS IF THE PROGRAM DOESN'TCONTINUE SHE'LL PROBABLYHAVE TO GO BACK TO CUTTINGHER HOURS AT WORK.

BUTHOPES THAT WON'T HAVE TOHAPPEN.06:06:04;11-06:06:13;56KAREN LAZEAR, HOSPICE SOCIALWORKER "It's just going tokind of have to make itwork.

I don't have theability to take her to workwith me or work from home.It's more I've gotta be withmy patients and clients thatneed me." IN BARTLESVILLE,KATIE KELEHER, 2 WORKS FORYOU.