The West Central Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECIP) is not only celebrating ECIP week from September 11 to 17, but also the 40th anniversary of being in the West Central region.  

Executive Director and Interventionist with the West Central ECIP, Arlene Goosen explains. 

“This year our program, which is West Central Early Childhood Intervention, is celebrating its 40th year. So, we started in 1982 and so we're celebrating our 40th anniversary this weekend on Saturday. It's a come and go celebration on Saturday, September 17th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Kindersley Alliance Church. We've rented the church and it's always a good time. We've got some games prepared, like some activities, some history, both pictorial as well as written words on how the program began, and we're going to have cake and we're just hoping to have a really good time with everyone.” 

Goosen then explained what the West Central ECIP does. 

“For those people that don't know, we're a program that offers service to families with children, birth to six years of age, with a disability or a delay in their development, or who might be at risk of a delay. And we provide ideas to families to help them teach their child the skills they need. And if possible, we also link families with professionals or programs in the area,” Goosen added. “We've been really honoured to support families for the last 40 years, in those early formative years, that shaped that child learning and development with lasting impact over their entire lives.” 

The program has been given some additional money from the provincial government, which Goosen is grateful for. 

“ECIP’s are funded by the Ministry of Education, the early years branch, and this year we received an increase in funding in the spring and we are very, very thankful for that. With the additional funding, we're better able to provide a service to the families who need us in the West Central region.” 

Everyone is welcome to come check out the 40th anniversary celebration, and the invitation had said to RSVP the event, but that doesn’t need to happen, Goosen explained. 

“In our invitation we asked for RSVP, but recognizing that this area is farming and nobody knows whether they are able to come unless it rains, or something else happens. If people want to, they can come down to the church (Alliance Church), and see what we are all about.”