The Village of Lake Norman Facebook group

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It Takes A Village

Facebook group celebrates children and supports families

by Allie Spencer photography by Jamie Cowles

Above and left: The Village of Lake Norman Facebook group arranges a variety of experiences for children and their caregivers. Right: Stacee Ash.

Two years ago, Stacee Ash, a Huntersville resident and caregiver for two young girls in the Lake Norman area, founded the Facebook group “The Village” of Lake Norman. Inspired by her own childhood in upstate New York, she believed everyone deserves a village to call their own. At the time, she had been exchanging numbers and planning meet ups to keep the children she cared for engaged in learning. Her “unofficial” village was growing so she started the group to help keep things organized.

“I decided to create the Facebook page and believed that I might get maybe 100 people. This happened in the first few days,” says Ash. Through word of mouth, the group is now 1,800+ members strong.

Ash says her mission when she created “The Village,” was inspired by her own upbringing. Her mother struggled with raising Ash, a child conceived from a sexual assault while her husband was on active military duty. Her husband vowed to raise Ash as his own biological child, despite her being biracial. Ash was raised in a loving transracial family until the age of 11. Then she was welcomed and raised by a biracial family until adulthood. With a background in child development and decades of experience, Ash wanted to create a supportive community inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood.

“I try to set up a variety of experiences for the children. Sometimes, I set up outdoor learning provocations or other times the environment is the provocation. Either way, the community environment becomes the child’s classroom. The adults are active participants and our passion for the children bond us together.”

A mom of one grown son herself, Ash says the group is open to anyone taking care of young children--no reservations required. She posts a weekly schedule with different meet up locations and activities for each day, and encourages members of the group to show up and get involved. In addition to visiting local parks, playgrounds and nature trails, “The Village” supports local businesses with outings to Sweetwater Farms, Rescue Ranch, Zootastic, Our Kids Place of Lake Norman and Good Karma Alpacas.

The quick organic growth of the group online is a testament not only to Ash’s passion for children, but also the support the group provides to caregivers, parents and grandparents. “It makes my heart happy watching the beautiful friendships develop, giving people support that care for children and contributing to making the community better and stronger,” Ash says.