Posted: 2/7/07
Childcare Provider of the Year
 Terry Rumpel and the children in her day care saying "French toast" for the camera. Other pictures show the children at play, enjoying each other and the games and activities that Rumpel offers the children in her care and some just being kids. |
By MaryHelen Swanson
They play, they color, they go outside ... they eat chicken nuggets and have nap time.
They sing songs, read stories, play with Playdough, go to Northwoods Park (and have a picnic every Friday in the summer), decorate cookies for holidays, learn about fire safety, carve pumpkins and make scarecrows and .....whew.
"We do a lot of things," says the caregiver.
"And make a lot of noise," says one of little charges with a sly little grin.
So is the life of the children under the care of the 2006 Chisago County Child Care Provider of the Year - Terry Rumpel.
Rumpel, who lives in North Branch, has had children around her for well over 14 years.
Rumpel attended 916 Vocational School studying child development aiming for a career in a school district preschool program. When she was unable to find a position, she became a nanny for a local attorney.
Six and a half years later that attorney suggested she build a home in North Branch and open a day care, and she did.
She moved into her new home in February and opened the day care in August. That was 14 1/2 years ago. She's been surrounded by babies to pre-teens ever since.
Currently, her youngest child is 7 months and the oldest, one of the school-age children who comes in the afternoon, is 12.
Rumpel's doors are open from 5:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week. Weekends are hers. She takes two vacations a year, usually one is a national bowling tournament and the other may be camping.
Most of the children in her care come as babies and stay until they are old enough to be home alone. She's attended graduations of past charges, and last summer she went to the first wedding of one of her former day care children.
"I'm getting old," she mused.
Rumpel gets all her new children by word of mouth.
Being nominated as Provider of the Year is a great reward, she said.
It was one of the mothers who nominated her. But when the others sent letters of support for the nomination, it really touched Rumpel's heart.
The parents genuinely appreciate her ... her patience, her caring, her conscientious effort to watch over and be a surrogate when mom and dad must work outside of the home.
Comment from Debbie (Schoeberl) Hanson, 2/8/07
Congratualations Terry. Like mother like daughter. My two boys went to Terry's mom's daycare for many years. I am sure that Terry picked up her love for children way back when. I would diffently recommend Terry to anybody looking for a wonderful day care provider for their children.
Comment from Heather Stenger-Menne, 2/8/07
My children go to Terry's daycare & she is WONDERFUL!! I recommend her to everyone who has children - she is great!! Our children are her children.
Comment from Terrie Schoeberl, 2/15/07
Congratulations Terry. Living as neighbors while she was in high school, we had Terry babsit my 3 boys quite often. They always wanted her to come over. They also went to her mother's daycare for many years. She truly loves children as they were her own.
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