Sisters in Service

By Alyssa Miles

Eagle Child Development Center in Parkers Lake, Kentucky is dedicated to serving children—an integral piece of the CAP mission. Tucked out past the Cumberland Falls, Eagle is located on a beautiful piece of land. Even more beautiful are the women who make the center a possibility: Manager Brinda Campbell; Child Care Workers Sharon Patrick, Andrea Warman, and Phyllis Ridner; Cook Donna Ridenour; and CAP Volunteer Kate Biegner.

For women who have been unable to see their own worth in the past, the center has meant so much more to them than a place to get a paycheck. Brinda, manager of the program, has had the privilege of seeing each of these women reach her potential through working at the center. When asked how CAP has impacted her life, each woman was able to agree on one key element: empowerment.

Sharon shared that prior to working at Eagle she was struggling both financially and emotionally, and dealing with a lot of issues with which she wasn’t ready to cope.

“When I had my breakdown, Brinda was there,” Sharon shared as she and Brinda held a momentary knowing glance.

“Once she was directed to the right help, [Sharon] realized she was a lot stronger than she thought,” Brinda explained. “I think the breakdown empowered her to reach for help and realize she could handle this.”

Andrea, whose daughter now attends the center, is very familiar with Eagle, as she attended preschool there as a child. When she was younger, Andrea said that she always wanted to work there, and now she has achieved that dream. Aside from working with the children, she is also going to school to become a preschool teacher. Brinda noted that she sees Andrea empowered to be a wonderful mother to her little girl, using the childcare techniques she learned at the center.

Being an employee at the CAP center has helped the women with more than just career goals. Phyllis was going through a personal tragedy three months into her tenure at Eagle when her son was killed in a drunk driving accident. She referred to her colleagues at the time as her family, helping her get through this horrific event.

“God brought us all here for a reason,” she said with a smile. Brinda encouraged Phyllis, saying she could tell that Phyllis had much greater confidence now, and she was proud of her.

“That’s why it’s the perfect place to work. We could find jobs anywhere, but you can’t find a job like this,” said Phyllis.

After speaking of each of these women, Brinda glowed with the pride of a mother seeing her children overcome major challenges. Of Donna, Brinda shared that Eagle is what built her trust in people. Donna confirmed, saying that it has helped immensely in building her confidence and self-esteem. She is now able to instill these in her daughter, who is a participant at Eagle. The ladies joked about how Donna used to be painfully shy and now she is even pulling pranks on them at work. They lovingly refer to her as their leprechaun.

What sets the women of Eagle apart from other centers is that they not only work in the community, they all live there. Even Kate, originally from Massachusetts, has adopted the community as her own. She feels it helps her identify with the families and know how to better help the children who attend. Kate also said that she feels bad for CAP volunteers who are unable to reach that true sense of community within the towns they serve. Knowing that the work will continue after she leaves is meaningful to her.

“I know you are invested in the work you are doing,” Kate said, looking around at the familiar faces of her colleagues. “This is your home.”

Phyllis also found their presence in the community important. She shared that since they are from the community, they know the people here and can understand what they go through. She has been around to see many children come and go from the center. Her own children, now 28 and 29 years old, also went to preschool here.

When asked how the children have impacted her, Phyllis looked around the room, as though she could see each child who has entered her life in her 17 years with CAP. “Every year is an adventure,” she said, her ever-present smile curled on her lips. “If you can make a difference in one child’s life, it’s worth all the hair-pullin’.”

Each woman gazed at the others with a smile. An energy of acceptance and joy was palpable in the summer air, as the love they had for each other was evident on each face. This is more than a job for these women. It is more than the daily nine-to-five grind. This program has saved these women and helped them forge a bond with each other and each child that will last a lifetime.