Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee were guests of honor Aug. 13 during a BrightStone community briefing held at the organization’s 140-acre campus now under construction in Williamson County.
BrightStone’s Land of Dreams Campus, designed for adults with special needs, will open its first phase Fall 2022 with a 23,000-square-foot teaching and job training facility built by Solomon Builders. This phase also includes two teaching homes for students to learn independent living skills.These will be constructed by DeFatta Custom Homes.
Lee spoke to families and students, as well as business and community leaders, about his hope for BrightStone students with special needs and their future campus, the first of its kind in Tennessee.
The Master Plan for the Land of Dreams Campus features programming and facilities, including a Horticulture Center; Stables and Equine Therapy Arena, an Aquatics Center, Gymnasium, Student Clinic and Chapel. “There are moments when you realize that the things you do outside of your regular everyday life are really worth it–and, in fact–eternal,” Lee said during the briefing, also attended by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson, and Franklin Mayor Ken Moore. “I just want to say thank you to your board; to elected leaders who have been supportive; to the private sector that have made this happen with funding and financing,” Lee added. “I often say I want Tennessee to be a leader in this country. This is going to be an example to the country of what can happen.”
Beyond the tuition provided by parents of BrightStone students, the philanthropic giving of a generous community provides the funding for BrightStone’s operational budget.
Speaking to Brenda Hauk, founder and CEO of BrightStone, whose early work with special needs students began in the classroom, Lee offered his profound support for the mission of BrightStone and its Land of Dreams Campus. “And Brenda, it does take a Holy Spirit-inspired person, an empowered person, to take on such a task and see it through, and you are that.”
BrightStone’s mission is to provide a comprehensive work, social support, and residential community for adults with special needs, expanding their potential and helping them develop mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
Visit www.brightstone.org to learn more about the Land of Dreams Campus.To schedule a tour, call 615-790-4888.
Pam Horne, Community Relationships Manager at BrightStone’s Land Of Dreams
