December 15

Senior Kelley Philabaun walks up to The Children’s Home Society, carrying boxes, bags of clothes, and a smile.

“I’m so nervous!” she said. “You have no idea!”

November 17

While working at her cashier job at JCPenney’s, Kelley was ringing up a customer buying a ton of children’s clothes of all sizes on clearance. Being a naturally curious person, Kelley asked what the clothes were for, to which the customer responded that they were for kids in an orphanage who had never had brand new clothing to call their own.

“It bothered me because I go and buy clothes and they don’t have clothes to completely call their own,” Kelley said.

Kelley began her search for a cause by Googling orphanages nearby. After recognizing the Children’s Home Society that she passed daily, she decided to make clothing those children her mission. That in mind, Kelley began advocating.

Since that fateful day in JCPenney’s, Kelley raised $142.17 from friends, classmates and coworkers at JCPenny’s for developmentally disabled children at the Children’s Home Society. She campaigned in classes, had a table during lunches to collect money, and carried her big blue money bucket with sequins around with her everywhere.

“I [was] really nervous that people are thinking I’m stealing their money,” Kelly said. “I just want them to get the same feeling I have.”

At first, Kelley started off collecting for only five kids living at the Home Society on Muegge. Later, she found out about 10 others in Brentwood. Wanting to buy each one an entire outfit, Kelley needed help from anybody and everybody that could to raise all the money.

“At first I was keeping hardcore track of who gave what, but I was falling asleep in class and I would count it after class to make sure nobody took anything but there was more in there than when I fell asleep,” Kelley said.

December 15

Senior Kelley Philabaun walks up to The Children’s Home Society, carrying boxes, bags of clothes, and a smile.

“I’m so nervous!” she said. “You have no idea!”

Clothes in hand, on the blistering cold December day, though, all the discomfort of advocating and asking for donations was forgotten. Now it was replaced with a huge smile, and a certain nervousness to meet the children.

The first to meet Kelley was Ryan. Ryan shook her hand with a smile and wheeled away in his chair to go watch TV. Walking through the halls, Kelley waves to those she can see, introducing herself when she can, with her ever present smile. While taking a tour, she is introduced to Joey, who she brought clothes for.

“Joey!” Kateri Chapman-Kramer, a Children’s Home Society worker says to a boy laying on his bed. “Hey Joey!”

The boy smiles back to Kateri and Kelley.

“See, that’s how he responds.”

All the kids at the Children’s Home Society have some sort of developmental disability, which allows them to stay there to receive the proper treatment they need and couldn’t get elsewhere. With state budget cuts, the Home has been feeling the strain.

“The kids have an allowance but there’s not much to go around,” Kateri said. “[Kelly’s] gift is what’s really going to make their Christmas. It’s a basic need we take for granted.”

Later that day, at the Brentwood Home, Kelley checks her well-worn list of children. The list contains their sizes, ages, and styles of clothing they like. With the rest of the clothes, and this time a few toys and lotions for the younger kids and the girls, she once again is struck by nerves, only to forget all about them once she meets the kids she has been advocating for for over a month.

One such boy named James sits in his wheelchair in the warm living room in Brentwood. The room is decorated for the holidays, but James is looking out the window.

“Hi James!” Kelley says. “Well you’re handsome, aren’t you?”

James looks to Kelley for a few minutes before replying with a resounding “Hello!”

After tours of both houses, Kelley heads home. No more advocating. No more bargain shopping. But still that smile. No longer a nervous smile, but one of relief and satisfaction.

“It was a lot of fun, a lot of work,” Kelley said. “I don’t regret any of it. And I’m going to do it again next year, but on a bigger scale.”

Sam Dulaney