Adventure Club Administration

Child Care Consultant Services, Inc. represents a combined field experience of more than 45 years in the fields of early childhood education and child day care. The corporation was formed in 1989 as the response to community needs from the stated desire on the parts of employers, government, parents, and child care providers for enhanced child care options.

Since that time, Child Care Consultant Services, Inc. has established a new concept in school-age child care which is located in the public schools throughout the New River Valley. The consulting company has helped establish two new industry-sponsored child care centers in the New River Valley, parental support training programs for local industries, helped to match potential center buyers with available, pre-existing facilities and provided consultation to child care providers across the United States and Canada.

Donna K. Thornton, Founder of Child Care Consultant Services, Inc., has been involved in child day care since 1977 when she opened Christiansburg's first licensed child care center, Tiny Tots Day Care Center, Inc. The child care field was so new to the area that the Town Council issued her a special zoning permit as a nursing home for children. Her administrative experience continued to grow with the 1985 opening of a second center in Shawsville, Virginia, known as Shawsville Tots Child Care Center. In 1991, she expanded services into Dublin, Virginia, by opening Tiny Tots #2, located in Pulaski County. In 1992, Donna won two contracts to provide on-site child care for school-age children in Montgomery and Giles Counties. Today there are before and after school programs in many public schools in the New River Valley.

Mr. Michael Butler, Administrator, has over 15 years of administration experience. His background comes from The United States Navy, and he has a B.S. in Business from Averett University.

In August of 1994, Ellen Canode became the Executive Director of The Adventure Club programs. She has a B. A. degree in religion and sociology from Lynchburg College and has had additional work at UVA in order to receive her elementary and secondary education certification. Ellen taught in the Radford School System for eight years including four years of part-time social work. She was previously the site director of the Riner Elementary Adventure Club before becoming Executive Director.