CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Rest-A-Sure Childcare Learning Center is a new daycare for ages six weeks old to six years old in Cheektowaga. It's owned by Regina Verse who's been in childcare for 20 years. Her inspiration to be in the field, was her own children.
"One of the reasons I started doing daycare is because I wanted to spend more time with them. When I opened up the daycare it allowed me to spend time with them and as well as nurture other people’s children," Verse said. "I love kids. I do. I love nurturing them".
Over the two decades, Regina hosted a daycare at her home in Cheektowaga. Last July, she started the process of moving her business to its current location. On November 2nd, Regina faced a life-altering event that halted the process of opening the new center.
"It was the day that my house caught on fire. I stepped out for a moment – just like that. House caught on fire. Lost my daycare. Lost my house and it was just a complete tragedy," Verse said.
With no income, no home and money still needed to put into the new center, Regina was put into a serious dilemma. It forced her to drain her bank accounts to be sure she could open the daycare.
"I literally expunged everything I had because I had to rebuild myself and still try to maintain this building and still go forward with opening it up. So it hurt," Verse said.
One person helping her through this difficult time was her sister, Danielle Gallon. When Regina was in the final steps towards opening, Regina invited Danielle to work at the daycare with her. She immediately said yes and submitted her two-week notice to her full-time job.
"If the shoe was on the other foot, she would do it for me," Gallon said. "Being family-oriented, our family just always there for each other. So it was more for that like being able to be there for her."
Now with Danielle joining the staff and Regina's daughter helping at the new daycare center, it's turned into a family operation. Danielle remembers the times Regina spent preparing the daycare to be ready and is proud of her sister for overcoming the tragedy.
"Just to see her every day she’s like 'Okay y’all I'ma go for three or four more hours, three or four more hours.' She really put that time in," Gallon said. "So when I say deserved – she deserves it."
Losing nearly everything in the fire was a low point for Regina, but now looking ahead with the center open, she looks at everything that has happened as just a part of God's plan.
"This is my dream. This is what I always wanted. I always wanted a center," Verse said. "He blessed me with it and I am forever thankful for that".
Rest-A-Sure Childcare Learning Center is located at 3244 Genesee Street. You can contact the daycare at 716-331-3838.
