“Every time we hold an event, we make sure to plan something for young children as part of it,” says Stefani James, Student Ministries Director at Champions Centre. “We strive to be an all-inclusive church with relevant events and programs for members and visitors from ages zero to 100!” Toward that end, the large church recently installed a gorgeous childcare play area.
With locations in Tacoma and Bellevue, WA, Champions Centre boasts a membership of over 10,000 people and holds weekend services for crowds of up to 6,000. Founded in 1961, the church has grown from an initial membership of 50 and prides itself on offering “cutting-edge” music, venues, services and even children’s programming.
When it was time to update the children’s play area, planners wanted something special. Their previous play area consisted of tubes and tunnels donated by Chuck E. Cheese several years ago. James said she was looking for a new option that would be easier to maintain and clean, as well as safer for busy children.
Executive Director of Operations and Finance Steve Shackett says, “We got the idea for our new play area from visiting local malls and seeing the Soft Play products. This is the very latest in playground concepts, which is what we want to offer our families.”
The Champions Centre Play Zone includes a park theme complete with a log, trees, butterflies and a bear. It also includes Soft Play’s DuraSoft Safety Flooring.
“The flooring is amazing,” says James. “It’s so bright and safe for our kids.”
The new childcare play area opened Easter weekend, says James, who hosted nine different Easter egg hunts in the play area for different age groups of children.
“The Play Zone is one of the first things that families see when they turn the corner toward the preschool,” says James. “We use the Play Zone to reward good behavior and to give young children something to do during conferences. Of course, we use it daily for play time. Everyone loves it!”
In addition to serving its own member families, Champion Centre supports both local and international causes through volunteerism, leadership and fundraising efforts. For example, through the church’s foundation, members built a home in Africa for children with AIDS and are leading the fight against human trafficking in the Seattle area.
“Our senior pastor, Kevin Gerald, is a man of vision and faith,” says Shackett. “We all hope to offer programs and service that is visionary, cutting edge and relevant for time we’re in.”
