EDGEWATER — In 1994, Diana Anderson founded her home day care in Edgewater.
Now, 20 years later, she's ready to move and expand her business — aptly called Diana's Daycare — to a once-vacant storefront at 5961 N. Clark St.
Anderson, business leaders and Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony 10 a.m. Friday at the day care.
The 63-year-old native of Ghana began caring for children in her preschool class at St. Mary of the Lake in 1984.
And she can't imagine doing anything else.
"It's been a long time, over 30 years," she said. "And this is me. I love children."
The new space allows her to care for 16 children and six babies.
Anderson fixed up the storefront, which had been used as storage for a neighboring business, with a $50,000 contribution from the area's Tax Increment Financing district, she said.
In 2012, she began taking classes from the Edgewater Development Corporation about how to start a small business.
She said she now has the skills to grow her day care even bigger.
"I want to do it right," she said. "I want to do everything right."
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