About 20 toddlers and preschoolers helped Tom Harton cut the ribbon on the new Tom Harton Daycare at Cherokee County Health & Rehab on Monday before a crowd of more than 100, including the County Commission, Centre Mayor Tony Wilkie, state Rep. Richard Lindsey and Gadsden State President Martha Lavender.

CCHRC, one of the largest employers in Cherokee County, started the daycare in 1996 for the children and grandchildren of its workers. Daycare Director Geraldine Stowe said the children and staff will move from their old building to the spacious and modern facility in the next week or two.

Harton, a longtime member of the Cherokee Health Care Authority, which oversees Cherokee Health & Rehab, said he was deeply honored and surprised when the health care board chose to name the facility for him. He said he pushed for the daycare because “the children are our future, and we need this.”

Jerry Culberson, chief executive officer of Preferred Health Services Inc., which manages CCHRC, said the new complex is a great addition to Cherokee Health & Rehab. Culberson, who served as administrator of CCHRC for 23 years before retiring in 2011, oversaw the project, which cost about $571,000 and is debt-free.

Unlike the old daycare building, which was the former Health Department offices, the Tom Harton Daycare was built especially for children and also includes a “safe room” for protection during severe storms and tornados.

Health Care Authority Chairman Eric Ellis said the daycare is a “great benefit for staff and employees. The cost is deeply discounted … and parents know their children are nearby. It is a win-win for everybody,” Ellis said.

CCHRC Administrator Cindy Cline said the dedication of the new daycare is a great day for employees and their families.

“We all know how important our children and grandchildren are to us, and this shows our commitment to our families,” she said.

Activities Director Tara Martin said having children on the CCHRC campus enriches the lives of both the residents and the kids. She plans several activities throughout the year for the residents with the daycare children.

“We always do trick-or-treating at Halloween and Easter egg hunts,” she said. “Our residents love to interact with the kids and some respond to our children when they don’t respond to anyone else.”