Early Learning Connections, a children’s services agency serving Butler County and four surrounding counties, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

The agency was founded in 1973 and was formerly known as the Butler County Children’s Center. According to CEO Elise Spadafora, the agency’s name changed to reflect its expanded reach, as it now offers services in Armstrong, Beaver, Indiana and Lawrence counties, in addition to Butler.

“A few years back we ended up changing the name only to reflect more of the programming and who we were serving,” Spadafora said.

On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the agency celebrated the milestone with a staff appreciation dinner at St. Mary Mother of God Parish in Freeport. Spadafora says that location was chosen because it is centrally located between the agency’s two main counties, Butler and Armstrong.

Today, Early Learning Connections works out of 12 different locations in Butler County, offering child care, head start and “Pre-K Counts” programs.