Like a hammer hitting glass, life shattered Kelsey Kendrick’s family into pieces seven years ago. Now, the Lake Travis High School senior is giving back to the children’s shelter that enabled them to put their lives back together.

The then-11-year-old and her two younger brothers, Tyler, 10, and Jordan, 7, had been moving from hotel to hotel with their mother who never held a job or had a boyfriend for too long. Alcohol and drugs, however, were her constant companions.
Kelsey didn’t get the chance to grow up as most little girls would playing with dolls or sleeping over at friends’ houses; she was mothering her younger brothers.
When police pulled their family over, Child Protective Services removed the three children from their mother and placed them in Angelheart Children’s Shelter in Pflugerville where they stayed for three or four months before Joni and Kevin Kendrick of Lakeway saw them on a Forever Families television segment and adopted all three.
The siblings took their adoptive parents’ names and welcomed the stable, secure environment, but Kelsey found it difficult to adjust once school started. She said it was hard for her to cope with the separation from her mother, embrace the adoption and make new friends.
She thanked her adoptive parents and Joni’s friend Dee Ehlers, who served as a mentor of sorts, for listening to her and guiding her through the issues.
“She and my parents really helped me get through my rough patch,” Kelsey said.
Fast forward a few years and making friends doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem for her.
“I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Kelsey,” said junior Denny Finch who volunteered to help his friend move any box of donations anywhere she needed it to be for the drive.
This semester, Kelsey wanted to coordinate a community service project sponsored through the high school’s DECA program, but a project already was in place.
Undaunted, she brainstormed with career prep coordinator and marketing teacher Jill Oates. As Oates has instructed her this semester and last and checked in with Kelsey at her career prep job at The PJ Shop, the two have bonded over Oates’ adopted daughter from Russia whom Kelsey babysits occasionally.
“We got into the whole story about adoption, and she told about living at Angelheart. Of course, we had some tears together. It was something very near and dear to her heart that she wanted to give back to them,” Oates said.
They struck upon the idea of collecting donations for Angelheart Children’s Shelter.
Kelsey also marshaled her friends, Jennifer Schechter, junior Daniel Davis and Denny and her brother, Tyler. Andy Erickson and Quinton Crowe also pitched in when a broken elevator detoured their loading plans.
“It was great to have people around me who were as excited as I was,” Kelsey said. “[Their help] gave me a breather, because I didn’t have to go around by myself getting all the [donations], which would have completely stressed me out.”
Despite a barrage of e-mails, calls and school announcements to get the word out about the drive, it took some extra effort to introduce the fund-raiser not only to the school community but also the Lakeway area.
“This was the first time I’ve ever done anything like this. It was hard to start it off and get the word out,” Kelsey said.
The drive that ran from Jan. 20-Feb. 5 netted three televisions and a box of toothbrushes donated by a local dentist among various toiletries that all together packed the Kendricks’ minivan full of donations.
“People were just angels dropping off donations at my door,” Oates said.
When Kelsey and Tyler dropped the donations off at the shelter they enjoyed seeing the new rooms, garage, playground and basketball court that had been added since their stay.
“It was cool to see that it was still there and people were still helping improve it,” Kelsey said.
She also sympathized with the children who were thrilled to receive the donations.
“Right now, they have really terrible lives. They probably think the world is out to get them and everyone hates them, but they were all so happy that we brought out all that stuff,” Kelsey said. “The whole point is to give them hope and let them know there are people out there who care about them and are going to help them.”
She plans to conduct another Angelheart drive in April or May and already has one donation.
For information or to donate, contact Oates at 533-5821 or oatesj@ltisdschools.org.