The gravel crunches beneath tires as the car passes through the front gate and drives up to the barn. Pat Pridgen rises from her chair, declaring Kalyn has arrived. Warren joins her at the rear screen door that opens onto the porte cochere. Their granddaughter greets them with a smile, and the three hug as she enters.
Kalyn is a senior in high school and dreams of college. She is one of the Pridgen’s son Michael’s three daughters: Haley, Kalyn, and Rylee. The number of their grandchildren adds up to five with their daughter Lisa’s son Joshua and daughter Phebe.
Like most grandparents, “Mimi and Papa” Pridgen cherish their grands. They constantly look for ways to spend time with them: Sleepovers and movie nights with popcorn, trips to the beach, and making them a part of the Pridgen’s annual cookout at the barn for Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH).
The Pridgens have embraced the ministry for years, learning about BCH when groups visited their church, by touring BCH facilities, and attending BCH events. The grandchildren learned about the ministry from them. At early ages, they helped host the Pridgen’s annual BCH cookout, with Warren calling on each one over the years to offer the blessing before the meal.
Every year since 2015, except for the two COVID years, Pat has picked up the phone and called her fellow church members, community partners, and friends into action to host as many as 100 of BCH’s children and staff. Food is donated, and the tri-counties’ best cakes and pies are recruited. The highway patrol and sheriff departments send patrol cars and officers. The drug detection dog is a favorite of the children. The local rescue squad uses their stethoscopes for the children to listen to their heartbeats, and the fire departments bring shiny red trucks. The children wear firefighter jackets and helmets and learn fire escape techniques in a mobile “smoke house.”
Faith, family, and community are important to Pat and Warren Pridgen. Married for 55 years, the couple began their life together attending Sharpsburg Baptist Church. The town of Sharpsburg, sitting in three counties, is a small place with a big heart, inspired by the Pridgens’ love for BCH’s children.
Kalyn, inspired by her grandparents, chose BCH for a service project required for her application to Eastern Carolina University’s Honors College. She collected nonperishable food items and paper products for the children, raising $10,000 and delivering two truckloads of supplies to Mills Home.
“When you are younger, you do things because you are expected to,” Kalyn says. “Now we help because we want to, and we are able to serve together with our grandparents.”
It is a legacy from the heart.
Written by Jim Edminson, Editor of Charity & Children
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