Ready. Set. Contribute.

York Day Nursery has reached its "Ready-Set-Grow" capital campaign goal of raising $800,000, to add 3,000 square feet to its current 11,200-square-foot 15-year-old facility at 450 E. Philadelphia St. in York City.

The additional space - to be called the Helen Pfaltzgraff Appell Center - will house a fitness playroom for children and areas for family and community activities. There will be room for equipment storage.

Also, the security, lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems will be upgraded.

"But this campaign still has three months to go, and our stretch goal is $1 million," said Meg Brubaker, the campaign co-chair. "We have three months to raise $200,000."

The nursery announced its current fundraising success and stretch goal during a campaign launching event Tuesday at Yorktowne Farms.

Brubaker said the additional $200,000 will be used for a new emergency generator for the building and to pay campaign expenses. The extra money also will help the nursery provide services. The nursery lost some government funding because of state budget cuts, Brubaker said.

The nursery serves children 6 weeks to 5 years old. More than 80 percent of its students are from families with low income.

Groundbreaking for the expansion was March 27, and the nursery's campaign started April 1. The center's name is in honor of the contributions the Appell family has made in support of the project, said Nichole[eya: cq: ] Bagley, a member of the nursery's board of directors.

The expansion project will be done by Kinsley Construction Co. and is expected to be completed by September, said Peter Brubaker, campaign co-chair and Meg Brubaker's husband.

The nursery's fundraising original goal was $1 million, but the organization was "nervous" about it its ability to reach that goal, said Catherine Repman[eya: cq: ], the nursery's executive director.

"We're really new to capital campaigns, and it's a hard sell to get people to invest in early-childhood education," she said. "We weren't sure the support was out there. But we're getting support. This is an exciting new chapter for us."

To contribute to York Day Nursery's "Ready-Set-Grow" capital campaign, mail checks - payable to the nursery - to its facility at 450 E. Philadelphia St., York 17403. Please note on check memo lines that the contribution is for the campaign.

To donate online, visit the nursery's website at www.yorkdaynursery.net.

For information, call 854-1300.

-Reach Eyana Adah McMillan at 505-5438 or emcmillan@yorkdispatch.com.