The Education Ministry Team of Village Chapel Presbyterian Church designated Ruffner Day Care Center as the recipient of its portion of the Pentecost Offering this year.Ruffner Day Care began as a ministry of Ruffner Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charleston in 1975. Ruffner Day Care Center is housed in several rooms on the ground floor of the church’s building. Sixty percent of the enrolled children are designated at risk by the Department of Health and Human Resources.Some of the children come to the center after being expelled from other centers for bad behavior, but Ruffner has a reputation for giving every child a chance.Particularly notable is the continuity in the center’s staff. Although the director is new, the former director had been part of the center since it opened in 1975.At least two other staff members have been there for over twenty years. Such longevity in day-care staff is very rare, and very important in helping the children have a positive experience in day care. Village Chapel’s share of the Pentecost Offering will be used to help bring the center’s playground up to code with picnic tables, a sandbox, and toddler-age riding toys, as well as to provide new resource materials.

Amy Parker
Village Chapel Presbyterian Church
Charleston, West Virginia
(304) 925-7265
email