I had a very moving experience at Bowen Children’s Centre on Dec. 19. For the Ordinary Moments art show and celebration, the infant toddler wing, preschool, and daycare transformed into galleries showcasing artwork and anecdotes by each of the children. Art coupled with observations about children’s experiences during an ordinary day reflected the personality of each child.
Ordinary moments were revealed to be integral to the extraordinary miracles of growth and development. Looking at the artwork and reading these accounts was moving enough but seeing children enthusiastically guiding their parents and grandparents and siblings and friends to see their creations and talk about them took it to another level.
Of course, the entire building was packed with everyone meeting the artists, enjoying the wonderful treats, making shadow figures in the light of the overhead projector, and singing along with the all-star BCC band featuring Martina Iring, Cole Winny, and Zeyah Smola.
Watching the excitement in faces young and old, I remembered being on the board of what was then called The Bowen Island Preschool and Daycare Society in the late ’90s when it moved from Collins’ Hall to the amazing new building on Carter Road that was so full of energy and creativity this December. As one of many volunteers, I helped nail down the floorboards in a new building that echoed with promise, supporting a vision that began with the small group of women who started the preschool in a basement in 1971. In the early days at the new location, we worried about having enough enrollment to keep the programs running and now there are waiting lists. BCC has become all that we envisioned and more, embracing a philosophy of play that encourages optimal development and truly offering a centre for early childhood education and community support. In that bustling building on this December evening, I was overwhelmed to recognize what can be accomplished by committed people using their ordinary moments to work for the common good.
