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Tuckasegee couple are region’s Foster Parents of the Year
By Stephanie Salmons
The Partons had debated for years. To be a foster parent or not, that was the question.
The couple decided to go for it and now, a little more than two years later, have received statewide recognition for their hard work.
Keitha Parton and her husband Scott, of Tuckasegee’s Canada community, were recently named “Foster Parents of the Year for Region 1 of North Carolina.”
Nominated by the Jackson County Department of Social Services, the Partons received this award at the annual N.C. Foster and Adoptive Parent Association Conference in Winston-Salem. Four families in North Carolina – one per region – are selected for the award.
Keitha, left, and Scott Parton of Tuckasegee were recently honored as this region’s Foster Parents of the Year at the N.C. Foster and Adoptive Parent Association Conference held in April in Winston-Salem.
Although they have three biological daughters – 18-year-old twins and a 14-year-old – and have always wanted more children, complications prevented that from happening, Keitha said.
After researching adoption, fostering became another option.
“We feel blessed,” she said. “We have three children and a good home. We’re not perfect, but we realized there are kids out there not as lucky.”
They researched the possibility of becoming foster parents for around three years, Keitha said, and everywhere the couple went they saw advertisements, flyers or other signs suggesting foster care.
They finally decided to pursue this avenue after hearing the story of a 5-year-old who had to go to a group home after his father died and his mother entered a mental health facility, leaving no other option for the child.
“It was like God smacked me in the head and said ‘when are you going to do something about this?’ ” Keitha said.
To date, the Partons have welcomed five children into their home, with a sixth child planning to join the Partons and two other foster children this week.
Being a foster parent is rewarding, Parton said.
“I know in some small way, I’m making a positive impact on these kids’ lives,” she said. “I couldn’t not do it. The first time you get these kids in your home, they’re broken and sad. You get to do what you do normally. You’re not a super hero. All my husband and I do is treat these kids like they’re our own.”
The Partons continue to open their home to children despite the hardships involved.
“The hardest part is putting yourself out there and loving the child,” she said, adding that the Department of Social Services makes it clear that the goal is to reunite the child with their biological parents.
While foster parents hope that family situations improve so that children can be returned to their parents, Parton said it’s still difficult when a child leaves – almost like a death in the family.
Parton likens parting from a foster child to having a close friend or relative inform you they have only six months to live.
“You pack all the loving and living you can into that small amount of time and when they go back, you grieve,” she said. “But life must go on, so you shake it off and remember what you’re here for, what your goal is and who you’re doing this for.”
That’s what’s remarkable about the human heart, Parton said.
“There’s a lot of room for love. We just trust that we’ve done the best that we can and we love them and treat them like they’re ours (while we have them),” she said.
Upon winning the designation of “Foster Parent of the Year,” Parton said she’s humbled and was shocked that they were even nominated.
“I was a little stunned,” she said. “We haven’t been doing it that long, and there are so many people who have been doing it longer and taking care of a lot more kids. There are so many great foster families – it’s not easy to open your heart knowing it’s going to get broken.”
DSS Licensing/Adoption Worker Christina Smith said that DSS is honored that a local foster family received this award.
“This shows that we have a great foster care program and that it’s continuing to get better,” Smith said. “This just shows the great families that are with us.”
The Partons set a good example for the whole community, Smith said.
“It takes a lot for people not to judge others and to put personal feelings aside to look at the best interest of the children and do what they can to meet those needs,” Smith said.
Jackson County is currently in need of foster parents and people to work with foster children in a number of capacities, Smith said.
For more information, call Smith at 587-2061.
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