On December 10 County Executive Kevin Byrne joined Early Learning Center (ELC) staff and students at the Hudson Valley InterArts building in Patterson where he read “The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree” to pre-kindergarten and special needs children.

The county’s popular educational and daycare space located on Jon Barrett Road opened its doors in September. Byrne was an early and consistent champion of the high-quality, first-of-its-kind learning center, noting that it cuts commuting times for children, saves taxpayers money on a mandatory educational service, and provides well-deserved peace of mind to Putnam County’s parents of special needs children.