National Provider Appreciation Day is Friday, May 9, and the Currituck Cooperative Extension Center is offering parents ways to express appreciation to their child care providers.

According to the Extension Center, in the United States there are about 12 million children under the age of 5 who receive child care each week. The national day of appreciation is a chance for parents to express thanks to the people who care for their children while they're busy at work.

"It takes a special person to work in the child care field and these individuals are often unrecognized," Georgia Kight, Currituck's family and consumer science Extension agent, said in a news release. "This day offers an opportunity for parents to show their child care providers their

appreciation."

Contact the Extension Center at 232-2261 for ideas on how to thank your child care provider. Online, visit providerappreciation.org.