A Letter From Blenheim
“First and foremost, I am a Christian. Christ has led and directed my steps in ways I could not have planned for myself.”
I am a wife to my wonderful husband Bradley, a teacher, a baker, a cook, and even though I am not in the classroom anymore, I still consider myself a teacher every single day. I love to feed, host, and serve people. That is really, in essence, who I am. Talkative, outgoing, a hard worker, and above all else, a servant.
What most people would not know right away is that underneath all of that, I am a nervous person. Not about speaking or getting in front of people, but I tend to overthink. I worry about falling short for the people I care for, about not hitting the mark. But I think that is exactly what makes me good at what I do. That desire to make sure things are done right and people feel taken care of, that is what keeps me going.
It was the same way in the classroom. Students are not just going to school for a teacher. They are going there for a second parent, for a nurturer, and I took that seriously. It carries into everything else I do too. For every cake I sell, I have probably given away two, because doing something from the heart is the whole point. It is a calling. Whether it was teaching or feeding people, I have always been drawn to those who get the least attention, children and senior citizens. They always need somebody, and that is who I want to be for them.
It all starts with my mom. She raised me and my sister largely on her own and led by example every single step of the way. She never made an excuse for us. You need help? You ask. She always put Christ first, and through that she paved the way for everything I am. Success might not look the way the world says it should, and honestly, it is not. The world tells you that you need this and this and this, but you mainly need Christ. Put him first and he will always lead you, always direct you, always guide you.
Growing up in Blenheim, in Marlboro County, you just cannot replicate what that kind of community gives you. My church family, my friend Raven Fennell, we started pre-K together and graduated college together. That consistency, that thread that runs through a small place and keeps people woven into each other's lives, you cannot manufacture that. My husband is the mayor of Blenheim now, and what that looks like is him quietly driving through town during a snowstorm, checking on the elderly, not wanting any recognition for it. The mayor of New York is not going to do that. That is Marlboro County, you are not going to get that anywhere else.
The connections made here have carried me my whole life, from my first job at McArthur Farms to landing work at the foundation at Francis Marion through someone from right here in this county. Growing up small meant people could step in and help make connections along the way, and that is not something I take lightly. Being known for who you are, especially when you are qualified and someone can go to bat for you and truly mean it, that is everything.
KENLYNN MCALLISTER | BLENHEIM
