Grandparents' Day Fundraiser
Honor your grandparents for Grandparents’ Day 2023 and make a difference in the lives of others!
Roulette Lambdon
I had the opportunity to spend a good portion of my early childhood summers with my maternal grandmother who became a widow when I was around 5 years old. She was someone who never let moss grow under her feet. She would awaken me fairly early in the morning and go through a litany of things that needed to be accomplished before the days end. The bulk of which were more community related.
She managed a Community Service Center for years at the local Seventh-day Adventist Church in Roanoke Virginia. So it could be anything from getting food to hungry families to giving a pedicure to someone that was living alone and unable to take care of themselves at that level for whatever reason. I was always in tow and found that sort of interaction with the community at large very fascinating.
She was a devout member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union so needless to say I was often lectured about the value of “temperance in all things” and that your body was the temple of the Holy Spirit. The most impactful thing she did for me as a young person was to play the role of a consummate mentor. She was an avid gardener and never allowed me to help her with anything related to the care and nurture of her many flower and vegetable gardens without explaining in great detail what we were doing and why we were doing it. It was incredibly satisfying to go with her to her vegetable garden and pick everything we intended to have for dinner that evening.
That whole experience really laid the groundwork for me as to how I have chosen to live my adult life assisting others whenever I can. My goal is to carry on her rich legacy in whatever way I can. I will be eternally grateful for her inspiration and impact on my life.
~Bill Hudgins
Willma Leslie
My grandmother, Willma Leslie, was a remarkable woman. She lived most of her life with the use of only one eye. She swam a mile every day and was always active in church, a blessing to her family, and to every person in her life. She even reached out to impact those she would never meet.
Near the end of her life, her eyesight had worsened so much that she could no longer do her beloved handcrafts. She had loved to sew, knit, crochet, and tatt. She taught me to tatt when I was five years old—a memory I still treasure!
Before coming to Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, I served as executive director at a residential childcare facility in Virginia. At that time, Grandmother was practically homebound and unable to thread a needle. But she could still write. She asked me for names and birthdates of boys or girls at the facility. For several years, she faithfully sent birthday cards with handwritten notes of encouragement—along with a crisp dollar bill tucked into each one.
Many of these children would not receive anything from their parents on their birthdays. But they always received one from “Dr. Gregory’s grandmother.” I have no doubt that some of those children might still remember her gestures of love and affirmation. She provided ministry to those kids and made them feel important.
~Sandy Gregory
James and Ethel Kivett
Today, I remember the blessing of my sweet grandparents, James and Ethel Kivett.
My grandparents lived in Asheboro and I cherished the times I got to visit and stay with them for several days. “Grandma” and I spent the days in the kitchen or learning to sew or crochet.
In the afternoons, we sat together on the front porch swing, listening for the mill whistle to blow which meant “Granddaddy” would be home soon! Both were active leaders in their church, First United Methodist Church, in Asheboro, and I enjoyed attending church with them whenever I could.
Grandma made sure I learned to read spiritually by strategically leaving her devotion book out for me to find and read every morning…a habit I still enjoy today.
I am thankful for both Grandma and Granddaddy and the lessons I learned from them. They were, and are, a blessing to me.
~Amy Burns
Carnie and Lena Storie
Today, I pay tribute to and remember my beloved grandparents, Carnie and Lena Storie. My grandparents lived their entire lives in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, primarily in Aho…a close-knit community between Boone and Blowing Rock. “Pa-Paw” was a farmer and “Ma-Maw” was a housekeeper and later worked at a soda fountain in a local pharmacy.
Both were active church members at Laurel Fork Baptist Church, in Aho. My earliest memories of that beautiful church include many family reunions held there and following in the footsteps of my grandparents and other family members who had gone before them.
I also always enjoyed my visits to my grandparents’ home with all my cousins (there were 10 of us!) and watching my grandmother in her element…serving others. She would not sit down until everyone had been fed and no one left there hungry!
She taught me what it means to serve others as she took care of all of us before serving herself. I am thankful for the gift of both Ma-Maw and Pa-Paw and the blessings they brought to my life back then and still do today. They are an inspiration to me.
~Amy Burns