A representative from the C-E-F-S Head Start program, was the guest speaker at the weekly meeting of the Taylorville Kiwanis club Tuesday at the T-M-H auditorium.
Nicole Gardewine from the Effingham office, spoke about the C-E-F-S Head Start program which serves 7 counties including Christian County, making sure the neediest of the needy get pre-school education, 2 meals a day, bus transportation, and even hearing, vision, and dental services. 

Gardewine added her program also provides services for infants up to 3 years old, as well as pregnant women.
Head Start also provides parents family support and mental health services.
Gardewine explained there are some 68 children age 3 to 5 years old, that are part of the Taylorville Head Start program located on West Spresser Street. 
She said that while the Federal Government provides 80-percent of the funding for their programs, C-E-F-S has to raise the other 20-percent which amounts to nearly one-million dollars.  As they end their fiscal year, they're still about 200-thousand dollars short.  Gardewine added the Federal Government has granted them a waiver so they could operate without the full 20-percent match the last few years, but she said she doesn't know if they'll do that for the upcoming Fiscal Year starting November First.
The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital auditorium.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.