Camp Sky Ranch was a summer camp for physically handicapped children and youth. Kathryn's future husband was also a camper there. The marriage, however, was not what Kathryn had hoped for; he was very abusive both mentally and physically to her and her children. She had three children within three years. The second child was born premature nine months after the first one, weighing only 3 pounds and one ounce. Everyone was surprised when the baby not only survived but thrived. Kathryn fondly talks about how she fed her two babies at the same time, lining them up and using the same bowl and spoon. The third baby arrived 14 months later.

Despite the years of abuse and the increasing number of children in her care, Kathryn managed to keep a full-time 2nd shift job and learned to drive a car equipped with special controls. Finally, after 16 years, she and the children each packed a box of their most precious belongings and, in the early morning of December 6, 1971, they left behind their life of fear and returned to freedom. They were welcomed back onto the family property and found a place of safety and warmth for the next few years. Kathryn met and fell in love with James Pennell, a kind-hearted veteran of the Korean war from Boone, and they created a new home in Watauga County together, a sanctuary for the family.

Years passed, filled with the trials and tribulations of maintaining a home: the steady rhythm of mopping floors, the endless cycle of washing and drying clothes, the time-honored tradition of cooking and canning vegetables, and the delicate work of sewing. Through it all, Kathryn persevered. Eventually, however, she realized that she needed to transition to a wheelchair. It was an expensive piece of equipment, and social security was reluctant to provide it for her. But Kathryn was not one to be easily deterred, and she set to work to ensure she got what she needed.

By 1993, Kathryn had grown acutely aware that many polio survivors, now suffering from Post Polio Syndrome, were facing similar challenges in securing assistance. Recognizing an opportunity to make a difference, Kathryn founded the Post Polio Support Group of the High Country. She aimed to raise awareness of this new syndrome and to gather funds to help provide the necessary equipment.

With the help of local friends like esteemed musicians Doc Watson and Buddy Greene and story-teller Ray Hicks they held concerts, sold tickets, raffled a new car, and wrote grants. The group succeeded in purchasing many wheelchairs and golf carts, and they also guided their members through the complex maze of insurance and Social Security to secure the help they deserved.

And then, with a heart full of nostalgia, Kathryn determined to revisit the Camp Sky Ranch experience. She arranged for the now-adult campers she had known and their families to enjoy a weekend of camping, music, good food, and the simple pleasure of each other's company. They continued to meet regularly for the next two decades until Jim’s health began to decline to the point that Kathryn could no longer lead the group, and it dissolved. Jim passed away in 2009, and Kathryn now lives in a senior home in Boone, facing each new day with courage.

Kathryn’s daughter, Beverly Hicks of Valle Crucis, speaks proudly of her mother, describing her as a tough woman who lives by the rules of “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” and “If you need something, do it yourself or do without.” Kathryn's story is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit, a story that resonates with the timeless wisdom of the pioneers of old.