SISTERS Natalie Hay and Kellie Doulin saw a need for a privately-owned-and-operated childcare centre and six years later the women were proud to open their second centre.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Waratah Saplings Children’s Service officially opened on Friday and will cater for 56 children, on top of the 90 children enrolled at the Waratah Early Learning Centre, also owned by Miss Hay and Mrs Doulin and located two doors down on Farrell Road.
Miss Hay said the sisters moved to Orange from Eugowra. Both had worked in children’s centres in Orange and thought it was important for people to have a choice between council-owned centres, corporately-owned centres and privately-owned centres.
The women lived in north Orange and realised there was a market there that needed to be serviced.
“We’re 100 per cent family owned,” Miss Hay said.
She said the Waratah Saplings Children’s Service would offer the same services as the Waratah Early Learning Centre, would cater for all age groups up to school age and would employ 12 staff.
“We used all local tradesmen ... we sourced all our furniture locally and we use local suppliers for nappies and things,” Miss Hay said.
Coming from Eugowra, she said the family knew how important it was to support the Orange economy. She said the centre was three years in the making but it took 10 months to build.
