About-Face

For Long, a top priority is keeping Fun Time in the public eye. "The business community should certainly be concerned because early childhood care is a critical need in this community," she says. "When parents cannot find good care, they cannot work."

According to Collier United Way's Ernie Bretzmann, finding funds for operations and money for a new building is only half the battle.

"When they faced real difficulty, we stepped up to the plate and became very involved," he says. "United Way enjoys strong volunteer support from the business community, and that translates into so much more than dollars."