Local Daycare Professional And Advocate Dies Just Days After Resigning

Therese Hychko’s death from cancer this week came just days after she stepped down as director of the Merryhill Child Care Center, a daycare facility that she was instrumental in founding.

“Therese Hychko was the center,” said Sally Lukeris, a member of the center’s original board of directors. “When we hired her, she walked us through all the procedures to license and later to certify. Her death was very untimely – she was only 45 and had fought valiantly against the cancer for a year and a half.”

Merryhill, located at 49 Queen Street, opened its doors to 32 children and their parents on October 31, 1990, after being licensed by the State Department of Health Services. Since then, several hundred children have attended the popular childcare center that received accreditation by the Washington, D.C.-based National Association for the Education of Young Children in the fall of 1999.

Originally Merryhill was intended to serve as an on-site facility for children of the staff of Fairfield Hills Hospital. Hospital administrators offered the large basement area of Norwalk Hall, an area that previously had served as a dormitory for staff. A board of directors was named to oversee the project and to hire a director.

“During Ms Hychko’s interview and tour of the proposed space, she diplomatically expressed what the directors were thinking but didn’t dare say – that this basement would never do,” said Sally Lukeris, a current board member.

“Common sense prevailed as the board recognized that both the expense of the renovation of Norwalk Hall’s basement would be too outrageous and that financial timeliness were running out,” Ms Lukeris explained.

The only other option, a vacant ranch house on Queen Street that had served as the home of an earlier hospital superintendent, proved to be an ideal location for housing small children.

“Still, perseverance and clear thinking needed to take over,” Ms Lukeris said. “Mrs Hychko was hired and began the grueling process of maneuvering among the multiple state departments that had to be involved every step of the way.”

There were the needs for renovation and construction, equipping the facility, safety and health inspections, review of standards, and hiring of qualified staff.

“Mrs Hychko’s previous training and her educational background in early childhood education had prepared her for these tasks,” Ms Lukeris said. “She walked the grateful board of directors through the maze of decisions needing to be made.”

Armed with start-up funds of $80,000 granted by the New England Health Care Employees Union 1199, and $200,000 from the State Department of Human Resources, Ms Hychko oversaw the renovation of the building. By now it had been decided that the center would be open to the children of both state employees and the general public. The capacity was set for four infants, eight toddlers under the age of three, and 20 preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years. Because of its location, Merryhill is able to arrange for transportation and meet the needs for morning or afternoon childcare for kindergartners attending nearby Hawley School.

As the center strove to offer safe, affordable, educationally sound, licensed, and accredited childcare in a home-like setting, a new challenge arose. In December 1995, the building’s sponsoring agency, Fairfield Hills Hospital, closed its doors.

“Ms Hychko again displayed her leadership skills and began negotiating with the formidable state Office of Policy and Management [to keep the child care center open],” Sally Lukeris said. “Over the next couple of years, with the support of letter-writing parents and board members, her priorities straight and her mind made up, she was able to convince OPM’s Richard Nuclo that the center deserved to remain open. He granted a five-year lease with the option to buy.”

“With her examples of leadership and warm welcome to all new to the center, whether they are children, their parents, or new board members, Ms Hychko set the standards to be followed and established a sound foundation for Merryhill’s future.”

According to Joeline Wruck, current president of the board of directors, a garden will be created at the center in memory of Therese Hychko.

“The idea of creating a garden was discussed with Therese before she died,” Ms Wruck explained. “The outdoors, and particularly flowers and wildlife, were important to her. (As Therese requested), the main theme of the garden will be to attract wildlife and provide wildlife habitats. It will be a place where children can play and learn about the beauty of the outside world, and the life it contains.

A special committee, headed by parent volunteer Laura Speed, has been established to oversee the project and raise the funds necessary for its implementation.  Jonathan Argones, landscaper and longtime friend to Merryhill, will provide the garden design and enlist the assistance of Newtown Youth Services to help provide the labor needed for the project.  Merryhill families, past and present, as well as other volunteers will help to install the first phase of the garden in May.  A dedication ceremony will also be planned.

The Therese Hychko Garden will be developed in four stages: Stage 1: Observance Spot, the central focal point of the garden.  The observance spot will be a restful, sitting place where children and adults can observe the beauty of nature. It will be a 25’ by 25’ natural space incorporating sitting areas, stepping stones made by the children, flowering tree’s and shrubs, flowers, grasses and vines, as well as birdfeeders/ birdbaths/birdhouses and decorative objects. A special stone commemorating the life of Therese will be in this spot. Stage 1 will be completed in May 2001.

Stage 2:  Nature Chapel, a place where children will retreat to fanciful space, adjacent to the Observance Spot. The Nature Chapel will be a small (8’x10’x6’) trellis-like open structure made of natural wood. Stage 2 will be completed in the Summer of 2001._Stage 3: Discovery Center, where exploration of Nature (and Arts and Crafts) will take place. Stage 3 will be completed in Fall 2001.

Stage 4: Insect Zoo, a place where tiny creatures will be studied and observed. The zoo will include terrariums, butterfly cages, etc. This space might also include a water environment where water life can be studied. Stage 4 will be completed in Spring 2002.

“The garden provides a vehicle for the teachers, families and friends of Merryhill to join together to produce something beautiful in Therese’s memory,” Ms Wruck said. “It will affirm her life, celebrate her spirit and enrich the lives of children who were so important to her.”_The center is relying on the support of friends, families, local businesses and the community at-large to raise the funds needed to purchase the plants and other materials that are needed.   A special fund has been set up at Newtown the Savings Bank for the garden.  Checks should be made out to the “Merryhill Garden Fund” and sent to Merryhill Child Care Center, 49 Queen Street in Newtown, 06470.  All contributions are tax deductible.

Anyone who has questions about making a contribution should call Joeline Wruck at 426-4417.  Those who would like to donate plants, other materials or volunteer in any other way, should contact Laura Speed at 270-0434.”