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Brandy Watson (l) and Amy Cory, sisters. |
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E-Nini-Hassee to Share Success and Inspire Others
It was like a big family reunion when Brandy Waugh Watson, 31, and Amy Waugh Cory, 27, returned to Eckerd Youth Alternatives E-Nini-Hassee to celebrate the program’s 35th Anniversary. There were hugs and tears and laughter as the young women saw counselors and teachers and friends for the first time in years.
“If it hadn’t been for the guidance we received and the lessons we learned here, especially how to communicate openly and believe in ourselves, I know Amy and I would not be where we are today – happily married, parents of four children and working toward our college degrees,” noted Brandy.
The Waugh sisters attended E-Nini-Hassee, the only Eckerd outdoor therapeutic program exclusively for girls, from 1988 – 1990. “We were at the point that anything was better than home, so we ran away, missed school, got into trouble and were sent to the program together,” Amy added. “It saved our lives.”
Since 1969, E-Nini-Hassee has helped more than 1,500 girls turn their lives around. One principle remains constant: in a nurturing, caring environment kids learn how to re-direct their behavior, take responsibility for their choices and return home as productive, successful citizens. At E-Nini-Hassee, a girl can heal the hurts, develop positive relationships, and learn the skills that will guide her throughout her life.
Today, the Waugh sisters are living proof. Brandy is married, the mother of three and works fulltime in the healthcare profession helping patients learn to use sophisticated orthopedic devices. She is working on completing her college degree as an orthopedic specialist.
Amy is also married with one son, is a partner in her husband’s landscape business and is a fulltime college student majoring in journalism.
“It completely changed our outlook on life,” Brandy said. “We learned it was okay to be optimistic, and to express ourselves openly and honestly. I know I use the communications skills and values I was taught there everyday with my own children,” she added.
“There are a lot of youth and families in crisis, a lot more than people think,” said Amy. “We’ve made a commitment to help more people find out about this great program and help more kids find their path in life.”
In March, “Florida Today,” the Melbourne, Fla. daily newspaper, interviewed the sisters for a feature story. In May, Brandy and Amy spoke about the impact that E-Nini-Hassee had on their lives at an Eckerd Youth Alternatives gathering of Atlanta business leaders and elected officials, including Georgia’s Lt. Governor Mark Taylor.