The parlor at Collins House with adorned for the holidays with its beautiful stained glass windows.
In keeping with their new life, the couple have immersed themselves in the community. Don is an award winning children’ s book author whose latest book is“ The Adventures of Lucky and Nicky” and Pam is a textile and visual artist with an Etsy shop. She also consigns locally. She stays busy as well with the Bramwell Foundation and the Appalachian Artist Association. They both work with the Lion’ s Club and the Friends of Pinnacle Rock.“ A breakfast group meets every Friday and we regularly attend, says Pam. We help with community projects such as painting the old high school gym for a movie project. We also help with seasonal decorating, community clean up, the Fall Spooktacular and last year painted a mural on the shed in the town parking lot.” Don is active in the community as well. He serves on the town council, works to maintain the grounds around the depot and helped organize a local car show. In addition to reading to pre-school classes, he acted in a local movie“ The Game” which has yet to be released. They are also featured on the historic house tours which are sponsored by the town.“ We have participated in the home tours and we are open to visitors year round if they ask, says Pam.” Bramwell’ s heritage tours include the spring and Christmas events. The Christmas tour began in 1983 as a fundraiser for the Bramwell Millennial Garden Club. The tour is sponsored by the Bramwell Theater Group where the town opens its magnificent homes to the public for a glimpse into a Victorian Christmas. Collins house is included in the tour and shines in seasonal finery. Christmas at Collins House is a site to behold. Traditional decorations fill almost every room and the outside of the home as well.“ Since we are featured on the Christmas tour, we have to decorate early, says Pam. It’ s fun because we dress in Victorian garb and the visitors love it too.” The house is a constant evolution as all houses must be. Several of the stained glass windows in the home were made my Molly Robinette, a former mayor of Bramwell. Her husband Larry installed them and they both still reside in town. And as for the future of Collins House,“ We hope to keep the integrity of the home, says Pam. The previous owner had the colors researched so we want to maintain that. We want to welcome visitors to town by sharing our home and hope to establish a part time Bed and Breakfast.” For more information on Collins House or Bramwell West Virginia contact: bramwellwestva @ gmail. com or P. O. Box 124 Bramwell WV, 24715
14 � SOUTH � FALL’ 25