Kelly Scarff is one blessed woman. She has four healthy children: Elizabeth, 21; Charles, 14; Caroline, 12; and Margaret, 8.

She's blessed with a historical home that she loves to manage. And she's blessed with a devoted husband, Howard, who helps provide for all those blessings.

Perhaps the biggest blessing in Scarff's life, she says, is that she has the ability to do exactly what she has always wanted to do: Be a stay-at-home mom.

But Scarff doesn't always stay at home counting all these blessings. She gives back to the community and is involved because it is part of how she wants to raise her children. She believes strongly that children need to learn to serve as part of growing up.

The Scarff children have either graduated from or are attending Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ephrata. Scarff has been involved in the Parish Council, the Mother's Group, and the Respect for Life Committee there. She's also helped with the music lector program and has coordinated the altar servers. Scarff has helped serve community meals at the church, too.

To Scarff it is just part of the example you set for your children. She says it is important for kids to learn service to the community at a young age so that it will be second nature when they grow up. "It's a natural progression in faith," Scarff says. "It's the essence of Catholic school."

And faith is extremely important to the Scarffs - they've seen their faith work in their own lives over and over again. They have three special examples of this.

When the Scarffs first got married they were open to having a large family. After Elizabeth was born the Scarffs hoped another baby would come but years passed without one. The Scarffs asked a priest to come and pray with them and bless them. Soon Charles, Caroline and Margaret joined the family.

Apart from school and church Scarff has other opportunities to get involved and help. Her children are in many activities: horseback riding, football and basketball. Scarff helps with these. She adds that a nice benefit to this has been the many friends she and her husband have met at these activities.

You can say that Scarff's volunteer efforts also touch people worldwide. She and her family enjoy hosting students from other countries through different programs. But the most memorable was hosting a child from the organization, Children of Chernobyl
Occasionally, Scarff will have her home included on area house tours. The Scarff home was built in 1750 when Native Americans were still in the area. Scarff says she "is in awe of the history [of her home.] It was a stop on the Underground Railroad."

Scarff describes herself as "very traditional, very conservative." Her husband knows nothing about the household appliances - something the couple jokes about.

But Scarff says, "That's OK!  I am perfectly fine with that. We are very comfortable in our roles."  

Kelly Scarff admits that her family falls into some of the stereotypes of a traditional, stay-at-home mom family. Scarff sees her main role to make a "haven" for her husband to tend to the children. "It's what we came from and what we're used to," she said. Her husband's parents, and her own, have been married 48 years and are role models for the couple. The Scarffs it have been married 23 years.

Scarff enjoys cooking and she also enjoys the styles of Martha Stewart. But she doesn't go overboard. "The [chores in the] house will always be there." She knows she can't have it all or do it all at the same time but that's all right as long as she does not miss something with her kids  "My priority is my family," she says.


Mom of the Month details

Favorite restaurant:  Cork and Cap in Lancaster.

Another favorite restaurant - JoBoys Barbeque in Manheim ... "May be my new favorite!"

Her favorite color is blue and she enjoys photography.

Scarff would love to visit Maine one day.

Her favorite way to relax is to curl up with a good book.  "But, she says, "That's a luxury. I often end up falling asleep!"

If she gets a chance to watch TV Scarff enjoys The Food Network.

The Scarffs have two dogs: Pepper is a 10-month-old black Lab and Sophie is a 3-month-old yellow Lab. "I don't know how we ended up with Sophie," says Scarff. "I might have had a weak moment in the heat this summer!"

Scarff also enjoys scrapbooking but admits to having "piles waiting" to be scrapbooked!

And she enjoys helping her husband at his office. He owns Scarff Brothers Inc., a cattle broker company.


Scarff was nominated for Mom of the Month by her daughter, Elizabeth.

Written by Maureen Leader, Special Features

Photo credit: Maureen Leader