Garden City resident Carol Anne Matina was recently invited to join nearly two hundred of her peers at a national conference in Santa Fe, NM., hosted by Cultural Care Au Pair. Matina is a Cultural Care Au Pair local childcare coordinator and has been recognized among her peers and awarded the regional Spirit Award and five year service pin.

As a local childcare coordinator Carol Anne supports area families who are currently hosting an au pair in their home, as well as the au pairs themselves. Matina earned her invitation to the conference by way of program growth in the previous year for her role as a local community resource for parents interested in intercultural childcare.

Matina is a member of a nationwide network of more than 600 local childcare coordinators dedicated to promoting global understanding through intercultural childcare. In addition to supporting a local group of host families and their au pairs, Carol Anne organizes social activities throughout the program year, advises au pairs on educational opportunities in the community and provides advice on intercultural exchange.

Over the years she has earned her invitation to travel to Germany, Austria and France. Carol Anne brought along her oldest daughter Cara who has shown interest in promoting cultural exchange and help promote the child-related charity of KIDS FIRST charities with Cultural Care Au Pair. In support of her earning her Girl Scout Silver award she recently asked her town of Garden City to donate books so that they can be shipped to New Orleans and donated to the surrounding areas of our town. The town certainly participated donating over 1200 books. The aupairs helped Cara sort the books for KidsFirst.

Carol Anne is currently interviewing area parents who are interested in hosting an au pair. She can be contacted 294-1981 for additional information on the Cultural Care Au Pair program. Or email her with any questions you may have relating to hosting an aupair: carolannematina@optonline.net