FORT CARSON, Colo. — After six months of hard work and dedication, the Fort Carson Timberline Child Youth Services facility is now open after a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held April 1, 2022.
The facility, located at 1352 Ellis Street, building 5939, will house the Parent Central Office, Youth Sports and Fitness, Family Child Care, full-day child care and School Support Services. While the renovations took less than a year, it took more than a decade to get to this point.
“It’s taken decades-plus to get to this point for sure,” said Mike O’Donnell, director, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. “Now we’ve got this full facility that is able to incorporate youth sports, child care programs and basically be able to showcase each and every program we have here at Fort Carson.”
The reopening of the renovated facility provided Soldiers and Family members an opportunity to visit with representatives for youth sports, the child care centers and school liaison officers.
Sgt. Melani Hastings, with the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and a mother of two young children, said CYS programs provide a good opportunity for her children to learn and grow.
“My husband just recently started working, so this gives us an opportunity for our children to get a good education and good opportunities,” Hastings said. “It helps us in that we don’t have to worry about who can watch our children.”
The facility is a one-stop shop for parents who are looking for information about youth sports, child care or the local school districts.
“In order to participate in any activity, you have to come through Parent Central Services,” said Armanda Hunt, Child Youth Services coordinator for Fort Carson. “We have two programs that fall under the CYS umbrella — Family Child Care, that is care provided in the homes of spouses on the installation and our Youth Sports Program is housed in this facility as well as the school liaison officers who support the local school districts that have a high population of military students, and our nursing component.”
Having representatives from these groups in one facility makes it easier to assist the Families and provide the necessary services they need, Hunt said. This day provided an opportunity to showcase what CYS has to offer under one roof.
“We are highlighting our programs to get more information out to the community, so more Soldiers are aware of what we have to offer and how we can help them,” Hunt said.
Staff members were ready and willing to share information about CYS programs.
“We need to get the word out to our Families that we’re here for them,” said DeAnzo Williams, school liaison officer. “Now is the time (after COVID) to welcome them back in.”
With the staff and this facility, CYS is here to serve the military community.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important Child Youth Services is to Soldiers and Families,” O’Donnell said.
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