Rangely New Eden center plans for March opening

RANGELY I Cushioned black chairs flank the walls of a waiting room at the Early Education Center. A dark wood desk stands in the corner, phone and computer placed neatly on its surface in anticipation of future calls and emails.
Across the hall from the waiting room is the “baby boutique.” Soon, shelving will give order to stacked diapers, polka-dotted sleepers and fleece blankets.
It’s all coming together in the three-room suite housing Rangely’s New Eden Pregnancy Care Services, scheduled to open in March.
Ginger Bollen, the new director of Rangely’s New Eden center, took over the position in December. She oversees fundraising efforts, interviews volunteers and coordinates training, and reports to the non-profit organization’s board of directors.
“Everything’s clicking into place,” Bollen said. “The last big obstacle will be training volunteers. We’re working closely with the Meeker center to be sure we’re tying up loose ends.”
The partner office to Meeker’s New Eden center has been in the works since last year, when requests from potential clients established the need for another center. New Eden offers classes on pregnancy and childcare, support from trained volunteers, referrals and material assistance. All services are free.
A change in leadership and difficulty finding a training time over the holidays caused the opening date to be pushed back, Bollen said.
“We were rushing to open, so it was my decision to slow things down,” Bollen said. “We didn’t want to miss anything and needed to be fully prepared to do this properly. I wanted quality over quantity. It’s been a good decision.”
Starting Feb. 21, 16 volunteers will go through a three-day long training facilitated by Meeker center director Krystle Dunton. The training follows an initial meeting last week in which volunteers were apprised of the non-profit group’s expectations and brainstormed fundraising options.
Now New Eden is focused on fundraising through monthly pledges and events. Because the organization’s estimated monthly costs are $1,200, there’s plenty of work to do. Current monthly pledges stand at $125 per month.
“I really want to see New Eden have a consistent monthly income,” said Julie Noyes, a mother of four who has spearheaded the fundraising effort. “While occasional fundraisers are great, I would really love to see people partner with New Eden on a regular basis. There’s such a need here.”
The generosity of donors is already apparent, Noyes said. Two local churches have committed to regular pledges while one-time donations have helped purchase startup items. True Value Hardware, W.C. Striegel, Rangely District Hospital and Grace Baptist Church, along with individuals, have made donations of furniture and clothing.
Noyes has a family-friendly 5K in mind for the 4th of July weekend, along with a need-specific program similar to the Giving Tree. A small fundraiser that could raise bigger funds involves participants filling baby bottles with spare change.
“We want to help local people put hands and feet to what they already believe,” Noyes said. “And we want them to see the results of what they’re doing locally.”
New Eden continues to accept new car seats and cribs, gently used baby clothes up to size 2T, and other baby items (including swings, chairs, and jumpers) in good condition, along with consumable items such as diapers and formula (in a separate box, please).
To donate, get involved, or learn more: New Eden’s new office is located at 402 W. Main St., Suite 171-A. After the center’s opening in March, clients can enter the waiting room via the private entrance east of the main doors. Or contact the center via mail at P.O. Box 471, Rangely, CO, 81648; phone 970-620-7096; email [email protected]; or visit on Facebook at New Eden Pregnancy Care Services—Rangely, CO.