Rockcastle County students overcome odds to bring a crucial resource to the county

MOUNT VERNON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Safe Haven Baby Boxes have been popping up all over Kentucky, and thanks to the determination of some Rockcastle County students, their community will soon have one too.

Makyla Hester and Kierra Larkey are both members of the Rockcastle County High School Family Career and Community Leaders of America, or FCCLA. They’re both passionate about community, and their hard work has led to the county getting a Safe Haven Baby Box soon.

“It really breaks my heart to see kids in need, let alone parents who can’t give their kids what they need,” Hester said.

“It means everything. Honestly, it’s just us being able to be the hands and feet of Jesus, honestly,” Larkey added.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes are resources for parents to safely and anonymously give up their child if they don’t have the resources to care for them safely. This resource is meant to give that child a chance at life that they may not have otherwise and ease the parent’s minds that the child will be cared for. This is why former FCCLA president Makaela Abney wanted to bring one to her community. Now a graduate, Abney is watching the next generation take this on.

“I think it’s great that something I started is something other students can learn from and gain more skills. I think that with FCCLA, we have family at our center, and the baby box is centered around helping families have resources that they need,” Abney said.

It didn’t come without challenges, like funding, inflation, and installment costs. Much like a rocket, this team never ran out of fuel, and this baby box will soon have a home at Rockcastle Regional Hospital. Tammy Camel is the FCCLA director, and Jana Bray is the community relations director at Rockcastle Regional Hospital.

“More than anything, I want them to recognize that they can make a difference. When they see problems or concerns in their state, in their community, or in their school, they have the power to make those changes,” Camel said.

“I think it’s amazing that this was student-led. As a hospital and as a school system, we take on so many different things in the community and different projects. To be able to have students really drive the success of this and drive it to the finish line is something to be proud of and something really to say about our community and our students,” Bray added.

While both Hester and Larkey have learned that they’re capable of anything, they both said they’ve also learned the value of looking to their community for help, with donors pitching in to fully fund the process. Now, they await the day it’s installed.

“There are so many churches in Rockcastle County that gave money here and there. Even just a little bit of money was good, we’re very honored to get the money,” Hester said.

“With Mrs. Camel and the community helping us, it means the world. We know we’re not alone,” Larkey added.

As of now, the plan is to have the baby box installed by the end of 2025.