By Colter Hettich, Student Reporter

The House That Kerry Built will conduct a Halloween respite for medically fragile children and their friends and family. The party- style event will take place Friday at 751 Hickory Street in Abilene at 6:00 p.m. Melody Boyd, a native Abilenian, has worked for the organization since 1999.

“The respites are designed so that Mom and Dad can go to a movie or go shopping, knowing their child is being cared for by medically knowledgeable staff,” Boyd said. “Sometimes, parents just stay and enjoy the night with everyone else.”

The House That Kerry Built began in 1992 when Cynthia Baughn, a single mother struggling to provide for her medically fragile child, decided to make a difference. She approached a daycare facility in Abilene with her idea, which was creating a place where single mothers could leave their medically dependent children with trained staff while they worked and took care of errands during the day.

She and the daycare took the idea to Austin, where the government approved and recognized The House That Kerry Built as a Texas pilot program. The government funded the organization until a few years ago when they became a nonprofit organization. Now, it relies solely on donations for funding.

Although The House That Kerry Built is fully staffed, it welcomes volunteers. A regular volunteer is required to go through a screening process, but one-time volunteers can just show up and help.

“Students are more than welcome to help on Friday,” Boyd said. “We would not turn anybody away.”

Stacy Upton, senior elementary education major from Abilene, has been working for the organization for almost two and a half years. “I love working with special needs children so much,” Upton said. “Everyday they have so many hugs and so much love to give.”

If you are looking for something good to do with your time this Friday night, you know where to go. “I would definitely encourage everyone to help out,” Upton said. “It will definitely make an impact on your life.Ó