NTV: Coach Frost returns to Wood River for first time since being named head football coach
WOOD RIVER, Neb. — Scott Frost made his first official trip "home" since being named head coach of the Husker football team.
Coach Frost finally made it back to Wood River and spoke with attendees at the Welcome Home Tailgate to help raise money for early childhood education.
Organizers said that it's much needed in their community.
"I'm a working mom but I work part-time and it's pretty comfortable but it's also a little more difficult to find childcare. You are always maxed out on childcare options and we only have just a handful of in-home providers," said a Stick Creek Kids Committee member Elizabeth Troyer-Miller.
Early childhood education is what Stick Creek Kids and Wood River Vision 20/20 is hoping to fix.
With two surveys, they found 65 households that said they would consider using childcare if it was available in town.
"There need was there for childcare as we have ladies here in town who have been doing childcare for years who are retiring and want to slow down so the need has really amplified here lately. These people are getting together and we are trying to get this going so it will be really good for the town to have this childcare around," said Wood River city council member Eric Nielsen.
"We want this to be a place where kids are stimulated, where their social-emotional developmental is being monitored and encouraged, where they are learning in a way that helps their brain development because we really see that as a way of encouraging not only the health of our families but also our communities and the future communities that those children move onto," said Troyer-Miller.
Organizers said they've already raise 60 percent of their just shy of $2 million goal for the center, and with the tailgate they said they've raised over $1.3 million.
Coach Scott Frost of course helped that.
"Wood River is doing some really good things and some of my friends are some of the people leading it to try to help the youth of this town. That's important. We all have a role in making sure that the next generation has every advantage that we had and more, and I think they're doing a really good job of it here," said Husker head football coach Scott Frost.
The Stick Creek Kids committee said they're hoping to break ground by the end of the year.