CAZENOVIA — In April, the Rippleton Center, a childcare facility in Cazenovia, announced its decision to transfer its business operations to a new nonprofit entity, Rippleton Inc.
The nonprofit is run by a volunteer board of directors that will help oversee the management and strategic direction of the center, which will continue to offer infant through school-age and summer programs at 3360 Thompson Rd.
According to Torrey Lansing, executive director and founder of the center, the change will not affect the availability of childcare, hours of operation, or general curriculum.
Lansing founded the Rippleton Center four years ago with her husband, Brian Marti, after they purchased a 10,000-square-foot building on 20 acres.
“I was at a crossroads in my life when I first saw this abandoned church at the end of Thompson Road,” said Lansing. “I have always been in the childcare industry, from teacher to director. My passion for early childhood education and working in my community to make a difference in the lives of young children was the driving force of the center.”
According to Lansing, she and Marti started planning their unique nature-based childcare program the day the church went up for auction in February 2019.
“Almost a year later, after endless hours of renovations, hard work, and faith, the doors opened on March 4, 2020,” Lansing said. “We were scheduled to have almost full enrollment and had employed full-time teachers. The COVID pandemic hit two weeks later. We never closed the doors; we stayed open and managed with the small number of children [who] had parents who were essential workers during the pandemic. I knew if I closed, I would not survive. So, we just did it. We worked long hours, my husband and I would spend hours at night doing intense cleaning, and we just kept going. It was not what either of us expected after all we had already been through.”
Today, the Rippleton Center has 75 families coming through its doors daily.
Lansing described the center as a needed resource in the community and a special place.
“Our outdoor nature program is so unique to this area,” she said. “On a rainy day, you will find all age groups and teachers outside in ‘uniforms;’ [everyone has] Oaki weather/rain suits that we wear so we can truly enjoy splashing in puddles, making mud pies, sliding down a mud hill, and fully [taking advantage of] the benefits of the outdoors.”
According to Lansing, the center has decided to transfer its business operations to a nonprofit to help ensure its sustainability as a beacon of quality childcare in the Cazenovia area for many years to come.
“My vision is for Rippleton Inc. to grow and thrive in the community long after I’m gone and [for it] to always be a unique early learning program [that offers] a safe and nurturing environment for learning, exploration, play, and celebration,” Lansing said. “We believe that children of all ages benefit from a place where they feel welcome. [We also believe] a flourishing community needs a space where families connect and support each other.”
As a nonprofit entity, the center can accept tax-deductible donations; qualify for local, state, and national grants to fund programs and capital improvements; host fundraising events; and establish more beneficial partnerships with outside organizations.
“We are moving the operation part of the business to a nonprofit so we will continue to gain support and growth for the future,” Lansing said. “. . . We have an amazing board of directors with expertise in different areas that will offer support for the center and continue to share in the vision and make it bigger and better. It was time to stop wearing all the hats as business owners and prepare for the future.”
Lansing and Marti will continue to own the land and building, and Lansing will serve as vice president of the board and executive director.
According to an April 22 letter to Rippleton Center parents and guardians, the board will be actively involved in various aspects of the daycare, including special projects, finances, and curriculum development. The goal is that the board’s hands-on approach will enable the center to make strides in enhancing its program offerings, recognizing and supporting its staff, maintaining its facility and grounds, and ensuring the security and safety of its children.
The current board members have career expertise in finance/accounting, daycare operations/management, early childhood education, marketing, communications, events, and entrepreneurship.
According to Lansing, Board President Adam O’Neill and his wife, Anya Woods-O’Neill, have had a connection to the Rippleton Center since day one.
“[Adam] shook our hands the day of the auction as a community member and neighbor,” Lansing said. “And I remember when we told him our vision, he said, ‘Wow! That is amazing. [I] don’t think anyone here had that vision coming into this auction today.’”
Woods-O’Neill created the Rippleton Center brand and website, and the couple’s two children have attended the center since the beginning.
“As parents of Rippleton Center kids, Anya and I see the positive impact every day,” said O’Neill. “Torrey and Brian’s vision and investment have created a very special place for kids in our community to learn, explore, create, collaborate, develop confidence, and get out into nature daily. We’re honored to have the opportunity to help Rippleton Center continue to grow and thrive.”
O’Neill has extensive business leadership experience as a founder, marketing executive, and team builder.
“We knew that with his business experience and unbelievable support and confidence in the Rippleton Center, he was the most qualified to be president of the new board of directors [and] help guide the center to the next level,” said Lansing.
Casey Masters, vice president of the board, is also a father of two Rippleton Center attendees.
His six-year-old participates in the after-school program, and his five-year-old is at the center full-time.
“They come home every day covered in mud and laden with craft projects, excitedly telling me about the tree fort they made while out on a hike, or the leprechaun trap they built, or the funny dance their teacher taught them,” said Masters.
His family started at the Rippleton Center three and a half years ago after hearing about it from a friend and receiving an after-hours walkthrough of the facility from Lansing.
Masters recalled that he was blown away by the program’s focus on the outdoors, emotional education, and problem-solving.
“Even the indoor crafts I saw involved leaves, twigs, and pinecones,” he said. “Where a lot of daycares had a small fenced-in area with plastic toys everywhere, Rippleton Center had logs, rocks, and wide-open spaces. [Also,] parents who have been at Rippleton for any amount of time will tell you it is as much a community hub as anything; [our] social sphere is based around the connections we have made amongst the Rippleton parents. So, when I got a call from [a friend] explaining that he was going to help set up a board of directors to help Torrey focus more on the quality of care and less on the administrative minutiae, I was happy to lend a hand. After all, we [would] be spending time with the other board members either way.”
The board’s other current members are Lynton Slater, treasurer; Liz Williams, secretary; and Katie Whitaker, vice president early education.
The board is looking for several additional members, especially individuals with experience in law, grant writing, insurance, or fundraising. Meetings are held monthly.
“[The Rippleton Center] has never been a ‘me’ thing,” said Lansing. It is a ‘we’ thing, from every employee that has come through the door, [to the] children, families, and the entire community. What makes the Rippleton Center special is we are family.”
Lansing added that she is particularly indebted to her husband for his unwavering belief in her and her vision.
“He loves the center just as much as I do,” she said. “It wouldn’t have happened without his support and dedication.”
To learn more about the Rippleton Center, visit rippletoncenter.com.
