Dear Editor,
In celebration of its 25th year of operation and its director, Parent to Parent Family Support Network hosted “A Starry, Starry Night, the Silver Anniversary of Parent to Parent FSN-HC.” The event was held on June16th in Holy Cross Episcopal Church’s Skiles Hall in Valle Crucis.The banquet honored Kaaren Hayes, the director of Parent to Parent FSN-HC, the first hired staff member when the program began in 1988.The evening included a gourmet dinner and entertainment. The hors d’oeuvres and dinner were prepared by Earl LeClaire, chef, cookbook author and poet who also provided entertainment with musicians Harold McKinney and Ken Lurie.Colleague and friends shared remembrances of Kaaren’smany years of passionate commitment to the Parent to Parent program. A variety of delicious homemade desserts and beautiful anniversary cake topped off the evening.
Funds raised from this event help ensure that Parent to Parent will be able to continue to provide support and information for families who have children with special needs.Their services include support groups, educational workshops and emotional support provided by trained volunteers. Serving a seven county area, (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey), Parent to Parent is an affiliate of the Family Support Network of North Carolina, and is sponsored locally by Appalachian State University and the Children’s Developmental Services Agency of the Blue Ridge.The event would not have been possible without the generous gifts from so many sponsors, including Performance Foods, Inc. (Bret Stephenson, Charlotte, NC), the Wilkes County Health Foundation, Miss Match Rentals, Bandana’s Barbeque, Cakes by Rita, Panera Bread, Starbucks, and Stick Boy Bread. To make a donation, or for more information about the organization, visit http://parent2parent.appstate.edu or call the Boone office at 828-262-6089.
Amy J. Roberts,
Parent to Parent Advisory Board