For this month’s Kinship Family Spotlight, we would like to highlight one of our oh so wonderful Watauga County families, the Browns. The Browns have been with High Country Caregivers since the beginning. Barbara and Eric Brown are raising their two grandchildren, Leo and his older sister Elsie. Upon my first time meeting this family at our Watauga County-wide corn maze trip last September, I knew this family would be a joy to serve.
The Brown family has played a key role in our monthly Relatives and Parents Program meetings in Watauga County. Barbara and Eric have always created meaningful and supportive conversations for and towards the other caregivers that attend these meetings in Watauga County. They have been more than willing to share their story of kinship caregiving to help other families in the program.
Flash forward to this September, with the help of one of our donors, High Country Caregivers was able to donate a Baldwin Upright Piano and a large husky stuffed animal to Leo and Elsie. Since then, Elsie has been able to learn the song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” on the piano and is sharpening her piano skills with some other tunes as well. After dropping off the items, Barbara texted me with many thanks for the items, along with another sweet story.
Leo, Elsie’s younger brother, had seen a husky exactly like the one we brought to them (red bow and all) and was completely ecstatic. Barbara was in shock due to us not knowing this story beforehand and wrote to me “So strange how things happen sometimes.” The Browns are a strong, happy, and consistent family with High Country Caregivers. Thanks to donations like these, we are able to make our children’s and family’s days just a little bit brighter.