Linda Stachelek loves playing Bingo. But she’ll only play if the other contestants are potty-trained.
Stachelek, the owner of Rainbow Day Care at 11303 Kipp Road, is retiring after 21 years.
Rainbow Day Care is closing with her, unless a buyer continues the business.
‘It’s up for sale and I would love it if it could stay a day care,? Stachelek, 58, said. ‘That’s my dream.?
That may be her dream now, but 21 years ago, she had a different dream: to make a living being with the people she loved most.
Those people happened to be her three daughters and her mother, Darline Gallipo.
Stachelek and Gallipo opened their Rainbow in 1990.
Gallipo, 82, retired earlier this year.
‘She stayed with me the whole time,? Stachelek said.
Stachelek decided to open her day care while she was working in an office.
‘I wanted to spend time with my three daughters, so I went back to school, got my teaching degree,? she said.
The day care owner said she remembers the first nine children at Rainbow well.
‘They were all girls,? she said. ‘Finally we got our first boy, and it was so exciting.?
Rainbow currently cares for 19 children, mostly toddlers, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
‘I like to play games with them,? Stachelek said. ‘Bingo is our very favorite, but we play a lot of memory games and flashcards. Those are games a lot of kids can play at a time.?
Throughout her 21 years, Stachelek said she has kept in touch with the kids in her care.
‘They would grow up and go to school, but then they’d ride their bikes to see me,? she said. ‘And then they would drive their cars to visit. Then they’d bring their fiances to meet me. And now I take care of their children, the way I took care of them.?
‘For now, I’m just looking for someone to take over the day care,? she said.