I Am Williamson County
PAM HORNE NONPROFIT CHAMPION BY CLAIRE PAGE
Pam Horne is the Community Relationships Coordinator at BrightStone, a twenty-two-yearold non-profit that serves adults with special needs and their families. She also spends a great deal of time at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, located in the heart of downtown Franklin, and graciously shares her time with organizations across Williamson County. Read below to learn more: YW: What makes Williamson County feel like home to you? My first childhood impression of Williamson County was the friendly people. In fact, our first visitor was a sweet lady from Welcome Wagon bearing a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and all the fixins’ for our family! My mom taught piano in our home afternoons, so I quickly learned how “community” works here. Of course, I was the kid who usually needed a ride to church or school activities, but that was never a concern because hearts are big in Williamson. Our home was a place of hospitality and music, where kids always felt welcome. To this day, making people feel welcome is essential to me. YW: What do you like to do in your spare time? My passion is local discovery. Writing and learning about the lives of others gives me great joy. When I became a journalist in my early twenties, I quickly learned that if you don’t have experiences with places and people outside your circle of friends and family, you are missing out on a rich community. YW: Where is your favorite place to go in WC and why? Favorite is a limitless word in Williamson County. 84 | MAY 2022
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEBBIE SMARTT
COMMUNITY
I love my church, St. Paul’s Episcopal, for quiet solitude and joyful worship. It’s a humbling place where I gain strength and purpose from every visit. I love the personal vibe of McCreary’s Irish Pub, the greetings and desserts at Huff’s Market, and the hugs and broccoli salad from Miss Daisy’s. Near my home, I can hide and hang out along the bank of the Harpeth, just thinking about the good times my family has had here, enjoying the simplest things. The world didn’t begin with The Franklin Theatre, but my second date with my husband sealed it in 1989 when I fell asleep in Gone with the Wind. YW: How long have you been involved with BrightStone? What is it about the organization that is so special to you? I joined BrightStone one year ago. BrightStone offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a huge difference in the vulnerable yet inspiring lives of adults with special needs. BrightStone’s new Land of Dreams Campus, situated on 140-acres off scenic Columbia Pike, just south of Franklin, is the next jewel in the loving heart of Williamson County. For me, this is history in the making! Folks are making it possible for adults with special needs to have lifelong learning, job training and job opportunities, and residential options that meet their physical and emotional needs. These folks are emblematic of Williamson’s commitment to spreading God’s love. I have such respect for our founding director Brenda Hauk and the board of directors’ leadership, not to mention our many teachers and volunteers who have committed their lives to bringing new possibilities to our adult students, ages twenty-one and up, every day.
I could begin to name those who have supported BrightStone, but hundreds and hundreds of men and women and families, have made sure that these 140 acres of magnificent beauty, could become our adult students’ BrightStone Land of Dreams! YW: Anything else you would like for the readers of YOUR Williamson to know? Join the work of this community in any fashion you can. In response to your heart, dig deep for the possibilities through volunteerism and, sometimes, through your pocketbook. Every little bit counts. Never let your feelings of falling short amid such a “successful” community prevent you from being a part of what I consider to be God’s heaven on earth! To read the full interview with Pam, visit yourwilliamson.com! The I Am Williamson County column features individuals in Williamson County who are known and unknown as staples of our community, doing good, being seen and exuding Williamson County! If you know someone who fits this distinction, let us know at info@yourwilliamson.com.
