I walked into the little coffee shop. My watch read 9:52 am. But there she was, mocha in hand, with a bright smile across her face. She had “made friends with the short, squatty guy reading his newspaper.” I had never met Kristen Thomas before…we exchanged words via Facebook about my project and she was more then thrilled to share her story. But I recognized her right away from her bubbly personality and welcoming spirit. She greeted me with a warm smile as she pulled up a chair next to her. I was excited to talk to Kristen after “she had her coffee and was ready to go!”
Kristen’s childhood “was full of exciting adventures.” She grew up with only brothers and quickly learned how to get into mischief. Kristen spent most of her time running about the streets with her neighborhood friends, climbing trees, riding on the handlebars of bikes, and occasionally picking up her pencil to work on her times tables while her parents were busy at work or taking her brothers to football games. Kristen loved being around lively atmospheres, talking to people and quickly making special bonds. She loved being everyone’s friend and wanted them to know “[she] was always there for them.”
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Thomas, and later Kristen, then just slabs of wood hammered together for children to play on. The treehouse became a symbol of Kristen’s work as a community builder. Just like a treehouse, communities are like successful Jenga matches. Communities always stick together; communities strive to make sure the blocks never collapse. Neighbors are always there if you just need a cup of sugar, a friend, or a babysitter. Community is full of strong bonds that create a cycle of harmony within a group of people. A tree supports a treehouse just like those of a community support one another. The tree offers its limbs and everything it has to hold the treehouse up. Kristen works to build a place where through the thick and the thin, people will always be there to offer a