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INUVIK - Mayor Derek Lindsay set the bar at $200.

That's how much he donated to the proposed Children First Centre in front of a packed community hall audience on Saturday.

Two year-olds Tatum Mistakenchief and Tessa Jenks look to steal the spotlight as members of the Children First Society provide an update on the Children First Centre to the community hall audience on Saturday. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

Lindsay was one of several guest speakers and residents who showed up in support of the community feast that kicked off the Children First fundraising drive for its ambitious new facility.

Society members are hoping to complete the multi-million dollar facility by 2013.

The event was also designed as a community update and featured several information booths showing, among other things, the current design of the building. Residents were also encouraged to provide input.

The proposed two-storey centre, which is planned to be built near Sir Alexander Mackenzie school, will serve children ranging in age from infants to 12-year-olds. Employing qualified early childhood staff, the facility will offer programs centring on topics such as traditional language, health promotion and nutrition.

Currently there aren't enough child development programs to go around in Inuvik. A documentary illustrating the struggles of several local parents was played at the event.

Anick Jenks and her husband Gene have two children, aged two and a half months and two years. They showed up in support of the centre. Although lucky enough to get her two-year-old child enrolled in day care, Anick, who's a substitute teacher, knows others aren't so lucky.

"The spots are really precious," she said. "Parents need the help or else some people just won't go back to work. We just have to make these services available to more people. It's so, so important and just lacking in this community."

Delores Harley, society chair, said she was pleased with Saturday's turnout and said it's time to build on the momentum.

"We need all the community support we can get," said Harley. "We have our sponsorship books out there. We' re talking to the IRC, the GTC and various oil companies and we're confident it will be a success."

A firm believer in early education, Lindsay is urging the public to support the project. He said he supports the Children First Centre mainly because it will help ensure children starting school will have a solid foundation on which to build.

"We have to start moving because 2013 is not very far away," he said. "Early childhood development is something that we need to push. I've seen and talked to elementary school teachers who say kids aren't ready because they've missed that early component, which they really deserve to get."