Monday's Paint a Picture...

Katey Earles. I’m pretty sure I didn’t meet Katey until my sophomore year at ACU when we both ended up pledging the same social club, GATA. We even happened to be living on the same floor of the dorms that year. It was always good to have our group of 2nd floor Sikes girls heading back to the dorm together after our pledging events. Honestly though I don’t believe I really became all that good of friends with Katey until our junior and senior years.

In all honesty, I think I owe my becoming better friends with Katey to one of my roommates that I lived with my junior and senior years, Sarah. Katey and Sarah are best friends, and because of that, Katey would be over at our apartment often. She became our adopted 5th roommate in our apartment. I loved it! I especially loved having her as some GATA back-up in the apartment since I lived with three Siggies! HA! Not that we ever let our social club differences play any crucial meaning in our apartment or with the friendships we had with one another, but we did like to have some competitive fun with it all every once and awhile, and I appreciated having another individual to proudly wear the red in the apartment with me! HA!

Probably if I had to describe Katey to someone who might not know her I’d say this: Katey is a leader who isn’t afraid of the spotlight and is not afraid to do some hard work. I don’t mean she is a leader that is always in the spotlight, or that is power hungry, I just mean she doesn’t mind taking the position of stepping up to the podium. Some leaders prefer to lead from the ground and avoid being the center of attention, but others can take that role and lead the pack. Katey has that presence!

Katey has always been involved with everything, ever since I’ve known her. If it was not Sing Song, it was Big Brothers and Big Sisters or Welcome Week. Whatever she was part of though, you knew she would be working hard at making it the best it could be.

Sing Song was her biggie. Katey would spend long day after day, sleepless night after night, production after production, eating, sleeping (if any), and breathing Sing Song. But no matter how stressing the situations would be, or how much time she would have to dedicate to the production year after year, you could always count on the hard work paying off! You could always see the joy in Katey’s face as she would walk up on the stage each year following the productions and be given the applause she so rightly deserved.

Nowadays Katey isn’t staying up night after night making sure the hosts and hostesses are doing their parts and making sure the stage will be completed in time. She’s actually miles and miles away from that today.

Katey has moved on, but don’t think that means she isn’t keeping herself as busy as before. She has moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and in her less than a year’s time that she has been there, she has already spent her time working for CMT and is now working the role of Development Coordinator at the Monroe Harding Children's Home. I’m going to have to quote one of my current professors on this one and say, “Working in a shelter, especially one working with children and adolescents is one of the hardest jobs around.” I respect Katey for taking on such a role and being a part in the lives of some of the most searching and seeking souls on this planet.

I want to end with expressing my admiration for Katey’s willingness to move to Tennessee. I know what it is like to move far away from home. Some will and have done this, many will never know, but it takes a lot from one’s self to be able to make such a transition, especially at a point in one’s life where one has already established some of the life-long friendships that college can bring about. Being able to up-root yourself from a place you called home for more than 20 years and go as far as Katey did takes a great sense of self. Knowing who you are and what you’re capable of, both of which Katey demonstrated with her new journey for her life in Nashville! I have no doubt that Katey will do great things while in Tennessee, as well as step up to the podium whenever the task may present itself!

Katey is easily someone I am proud to call a friend! But don’t take my word for it…

Katey is a spectacular friend! She is always there when I need her and is always willing to listen to my ridiculous story. We are complete opposites, so that is what makes our friendship so great. I can guarantee that she will have a different opinion on something than I would have and everyone needs that in her life. She is a caring individual who will do anything for anyone!
Mollie Mankins

I will never forget Sing Song... not just the night but the whole process... and then there's the yak.
Jackie Beth Shilcutt

Katey is always the one I can count on to make me feel a little better, no matter what the situation! Whether she's just cheerful, or has a funny story to make me laugh, Katey is just one of those rare people who can make me feel better almost every time I see her or talk to her! She's willing to do whatever needs to be done to help others, and will sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed to get it done. She's a servant and a leader, which is the best combination!
Julie Goen

Katey is a better friend to me than I've been to her by far. She always keeps in touch and sincerely cares about how I am doing even though she is 12 hours away.
Demetrius Collins

Katey was the person who called and emailed me the most when my dad was diagnosed with cancer last spring. She would call to find out how he was and how I was doing; then later I would get the kindest email from her telling me that she was praying for my family. She was miles away, and yet she made a point of checking in with me regularly. Unless she is ever in a similar situation (God forbid), she will never know how much that meant to me.
Katie Riggs

There are so many memories with Katey!! I mean Sing Song in itself is a big memory. But my favorite memory comes from Nashville….it involves a cake fight. We were making cake to take over to Easter at the McRay’s when Melanie and I had a dispute over decorations which lead to the ultimate cake and icing fight in which Katey joined in. We have never laughed so hard!
Mollie Mankins

Katey is as loyal as they come. I’ve known her since elementary school, and no matter how big the time gap was between our encounters, she was always right there for me. Since I’ve lived in Nashville, she’s become one of my closest friends. Katey has a funny way of always setting us up with tickets to amazing concerts and other events. I’ll never forget going to see Kenny Rodgers and Lionel Richie for CMT’s Crossroads. Katey came through big time on that one. I probably embarrassed her as I sang every song as loud as I could. Katey’s such a great friend, and I’m glad to have her in Nashville.
Cole Young

I remember Snow Day during our sophomore year! Kendall and I got into my car and I drove over to Sikes Hall and picked up Jen, Mel, Janet (I think), and Katey. We all went and played in the snow behind Smith-Adams, in front of the Bible building, and anywhere else we could maneuver my car... We should not have been driving in those conditions anyway, but it was so much fun! Then, after lots of fun in the snow, and a buried snow angel (me), Katey invited us over to her parent's house, where her mom made us the best homemade soup to warm up! Katey let us hang out over there to warm up, and we had so much fun! She's always willing to make people comfortable in whatever situation!
Julie Goen

I love Katey Earles because... KATEY EARLES ATE FRENCH FRIES, NA NA NA NA NA NA NA. I love Katey because she is a real friend (not opposed to an imaginary one, but she is someone who is "real" as in loyal, true, honest, and sincere).
Jackie Beth Shilcutt

Katey is truly my sister. We haven't always agreed on things, we haven't always gotten along, we haven't always even liked each other. But we have always loved each other. As far back as I can remember Katey has been my sister. We grew up spending time during the summer at each others’ houses; we used to write letters back and forth (this was before email); and we even roomed together at camp one summer… somehow 9 years later, we forgot how awful that experience was and roomed together again!! But because of our deep bond, we were able to forgive, forget, and move on. What a blessing it is to have a friend who will be your biggest encouragement, fan, and will go to bat for you in a heartbeat. I love you, Key!
Katie Riggs

We all love you, Katey!