Some people may not know it’s name, but passersby on U.S. 52 more than likely know Kids Are Our Future day care’s colorful play ground equipment that sprawls across the property and is crammed with children each day.

The day care’s play area, which also includes a basketball court, tetherball and a whole out building full of outdoor toys and gadgets, is not the only thing that has grown by leaps and bounds, according to Vivian McCartney, owner and director of Kids Are Our Future. The center is celebrating 10 years of expansion this year.

“I started because I loved kids,” she said. “I wanted to make a difference,”

McCartney, who has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health, started the childcare business in her home shortly after she and her husband moved into the area from Middletown in 1995. Soon after, she moved the business to its current location, on Delta Lane just off U.S. 52, with about seven kids in her care and two teachers on staff.

“We started out being open 24 hours, seven days a week trying to make it,” McCartney explained. “We were really struggling there at first. I almost lost my house and everything.”

After the move to the new center, she said business started to pick up and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I guess it was just word of mouth. More and more people started to bring their kids and we started to get a good reputation.”

Now, there are 14 teachers on staff and nearly 100 kids at the center. They offer care for all ages of children, including summer care for school-aged youngsters.

“I’ve just let God do all the leading,” McCartney said. “That has really led to us being successful, I think.”

She said she and the other teachers work to instill a sense of personal responsibility, kindness and self-worth in all of the children. She said most days the center is not the chaos that many people would imagine because the kids know what it is expected of them and they are more than happy to abide by the rules.

“I think one of the keys is just keeping them busy,” McCartney said.

Although the business is booming, there are so aspects of the business that can be frustrating, none of which include youngsters.

“If I could just have the kids it would be great,” she joked. “But, working with the state and county officials can be a little hard.”

Many times there are piles of paperwork to be done and bills to be made and, she said, that is the most challenging part of keeping the day care running smoothly.

At the end of each day, though, she said the kids are what keep her going.

“If I could take each one of them home with me and adopt them I would,” she said.