PC Tots is the only nonprofit in Park City that provides early education and care for children ages 8 weeks to 5 years old, and that makes a difference in these kids’s future in elementary, junior high school and high school, said Executive Director Sue Banerjee.
“There is enough data out there that concludes children are having a hard time succeeding when they get to elementary school and later in life because their test scores don’t meet state standards, in particular literacy,” she said. “How we make a difference for our community children through high-quality and early-care education is that kids leave ready to learn. They leave PC Tots kindergarten ready. They know letters. They know early numeracy skills and they also know classroom dynamics. They know how to sit in a circle to listen to the teacher, and they know how to raise their hand or get into lines.”
Banerjee knows this because she has taught kindergarten.
“I saw the difference between kids who had that high quality care and education versus the ones who didn’t,” she said. “It really impacts the classroom environment because teachers are not able to focus on curriculum implementation. They are focusing on behaviors.”
To give pre-kindergarten kids a leg up, PC Tots hosts an annual fundraiser. This year’s event, for ages 21 and older, will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, at the Legacy Lodge at Park City Mountain.
Registration is now open at tinyurl.com/554r6v66.
“The theme is the Magic of Learning, and that goes to the heart of what we do,” Banerjee said. “We create lifelong learners, and the fundraiser touches on what it means to be a lifelong learner. You start learning when you’re a baby and you continue to learn for the rest of your life.”
The low-key event is not a big gala, according to Banerjee.
“We’ll have a magician — Magic of Learning,” she said with a laugh. “He’ll walk around and do some sleight of hand. Then later in the program he’ll perform a full magic show.”
The evening will also include opportunity drawings that will be the big part of the fundraising, Banerjee said.
“We have generous sponsors, including Columbus Pacific, American Family Insurance and Vail,” she said. “Vail in particular donated a number of items — gold package, spa package and ski passes.”
There will also be an opportunity drawing to close out the night, Banerjee said.
“The prize will be a trip to someplace special,” she said. “We’re keeping that under wraps for now.”
Another part of the fundraising will be a paddle raise.
“It’s not a silent or live auction, but we’ll talk about how the money is used,” Banerjee said. “The cost of care for one infant for one month is around $2,000. If anyone wants to donate $2,000, it will cover that month’s care, making the dollars tangible.”
Banerjee and her staff will give a short presentation about PC Tots and its work.
“We’ll talk about what we’ve accomplished and how our mission is so important to Park City,” she said.
PC Tots cultivates “a brighter tomorrow for our community by providing high-quality early childhood education and care to our children and their families regardless of financial barriers,” according to its mission.
“More than 80% of our families receive tuition scholarships, and 48% of those scholarships are covered by donations,” Banerjee said. “Scholarships are based on where the families fall in the medium income. If you have a high level of income, you will pay more out of pocket. If you have a lower income level, you will not pay as much.”
Banerjee will talk about one of those families who recently received a PC Tots scholarship.
“We have a single-mother family who had a change-in-life circumstance, and we were able to accommodate her and her infant into our program when she needed it,” she said.
These types of cases and others solidify Banerjee’s vision that PC Tots is part of Park City and Summit County’s infrastructure.
“Just like roads or the internet, the city and county doesn’t function if there isn’t childcare for working families, and we need working families for this city to function,” she said.
PC Tots can accommodate up to 100 children each year, Banerjee said.
“We’ve been around since 2015, so if you think about us serving 50 to 100 kids every year, there’s probably at least 1,000 Park City and Summit County, Utah, children who have been educated at PC Tots,” she said.
Banerjee is also grateful to Legacy Lodge for its support.
“This is the second time we’ve been invited to use their space, and it’s a great venue in the mountains at Park City Mountain Resort,” she said. “They are also providing cocktails and beverages as well as food. They are dreams to work with.”
PC Tots Annual Fundraiser
- When: 5:30 p.m. July 9
- Where: Legacy Lodge at Park City Mountain
- Registration: tinyurl.com/554r6v66
- Web: pctots.org