St. Matthew’s breaks ground on new child care center

St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Marathon, on Sunday broke ground for a 12,500 square foot Little Lions Child Care Center on 27 acres recently purchased east of Marathon Area Elementary School.

The day care center, which can accommodate 120 children between ages of six and 12, will be run as a non-profit enterprise funded by individuals, local businesses and grants. There are plans for the center to offer before and after school child care. Currently, there are 78 children on the center’s waiting list.

The day care center will accept children of all faiths but, will be guided by a Christian mission.

“We welcome families in all walks of life to trust our team of mentors to deliver the guidance and values that children need at an early age,” said Jerry Natzke, a member of the church’s child care center team.

On hand for the groundbreaking was Kristin Mantey, the center’s director.

The groundbreaking was posed in front of a backhoe owned by Scherrer Construction, Wausau, chosen general contractor for the project.

Also present was Catherine Baumann, who sold cropland to the church for the child care center.

The child care center will share a parking lot with the Village of Marathon City that has plans to relocate Veterans Park and a four-diamond sports complex on the gently hilly property.

Natzke and Brian Gumtz are project administrators. Brianna Fitzsimmons and Monica Krautkramer are in charge of the center’s curriculum. Craig Frieders and Marc Sorge are handling the center’s financials.