EDUCATION STATION-Several gathered at the fire truck at Education Station last Friday. Pausing for a picture on the closing day of the facility are Kim Shaw, who serves as the executive director of the Alleghany Partnership for Children, Education Station Director Ronda Patrick, Volunteer Ida Coletta, Alum Lindsey Edwards, Teacher Harriet Meinecke, Alum Laken Edwards, Alum Haley Rife and Volunteer/Teacher Assistant Tracy Rife. Not pictured is former Assistant Teacher Tabatha Spurlin.

Four individuals, including Education Station closes doors for the last time

After almost 10 years of serving the Glade Creek community, Education Station, which has served children 3 to 5 years of age under the auspices of the Alleghany Partnership for Children, closed its doors May 15 following a "floating" reception at the facility.

According to newspaper archives, the announcement of the county netting of Education Station was made during an August 2000 meeting of the Alleghany County Board of Education. The program was instituted at the time to work with existing preschool programs at Sparta and Glade Creek schools.

Three quarters of funds for Education Station was through Smart Start, with the remaining quarter paid by parents. The funds once allocated for Education Station are anticipated to go toward programming that will benefit existing child care facilities.

The program was once licensed for as many as 15 children and once had a waiting list. However, in the last couple of years, the program "has struggled…to enroll enough children to remain economically feasible," noted information from the January article.

Bob Bamberg, who currently serves as the director of the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce, noted he was instrumental in getting the former Glade Creek firehouse renovated for use of the program. Of Education Station, Bamberg remarked, "It's important for kids to have an opportunity to learn to get along with other children and work cooperatively…I saw a lot of good things go on here; I saw children learning how to get along with other kids and maturing…"