Renfrew boy named PA Elks Child of Year
RENFREW — With a winning smile and a gift for cuddling, 5-year-old Braden Ernhardt of Renfrew easily captures a room.
“He loves everybody,” said his mother, Linda Ernhardt. “We go to therapy and he'll get right up on (another parent's) lap with their kids reading a story. He's just a very social little boy.”
Braden's passion for people served him well May 10, when he officially received the title 2014 to 2015 Child of the Year from the PA Elks at their state convention in Gettysburg.
“It's exciting,” Linda said. “We're not surprised. He's done amazing things and come a long way.”
Linda said she and her husband, Barry, have been foster parents to 58 babies since April 1995.
“My 24-year-old daughter is adopted, and then we got pregnant with my son right after,” Linda said. “We started out with adoption and got into fostering when our older two were in kindergarten and preschool.”
The Ernhardts began fostering Braden through Family Pathways when he was nine days old and adopted him at 18 months.
Born addicted to cocaine and opiates, Braden has already faced a host of health problems, including spina bifida, hydrocephalus, microcephaly, learning disabilities and epilepsy.
His weeks are filled with hospital visits, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech classes, a spina bifida play group and camp.
“He's just a trooper,” Linda said. “He's just always pleasant. He's a tough little guy, and that was one of the reasons Ricki picked him.”
Ricki Hood, the Elks Home Service nurse who nominated Braden for Child of the Year, said she began visiting the Ernhardts in September 2012.
“(Linda) and her husband are both very dedicated, and they're a great family to work with,” Hood said. “She really puts a lot of effort into making sure that Braden gets to all of his appointments. Their schedule is very intense.”
Hood said the Elks lodges of Pennsylvania began recognizing special needs Children of the Year in 1963. Every year, the Elks selects a child from the president's home district.
“You're looking for a child with a disability who loves people and isn't afraid of shaking hands,” Hood said. “Sometimes, for a child with a disability, that's difficult. But Braden is such a people person. He smiles, he likes to be around people and he's just really very sweet. And he has a great story.”
Hood said she visits with the Ernhardts about once per month to attend parent-teacher meetings with Braden's school and to help the Ernhardts with insurance issues.
Linda and Barry said Braden, who will start kindergarten at Haine Elementary School in September, hasn't yet grasped the concept of his Child of the Year status. He's more interested in swimming like a shark, riding his new bike, wrestling with the family dog and fueling his obsession with cars.
“He doesn't sit still any time,” Barry said. “We always say, nobody better ever tell him he's handicapped because he won't believe it.”
