Emily Barnes is a ‘Community Prevention Specialist’ on our Prevention Team here at Beacon. She has worked here for six years and is very enthusiastic about her role on the prevention team and the work she does to help the youth of our communities.
In Emily’s own words, she reports that anyone that knows me knows these things: I’m obsessed with coffee (I keep Folgers in business. There is always a full pot of coffee at my house), I love my kids and husband fiercely (they come up in every single conversation), I love to make people laugh, and I can talk to anyone about anything. I am a self-proclaimed comedian and can drop a pun on a moment’s notice. To a fault, I take care of others and care so deeply about the people in my life. I spend a lot of time with my mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, mom, and dad. My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew live in Florida, so unfortunately, I don’t see them as often. From April to September, my family does a lot of camping! Our favorite place to camp is Hidden Valley Outfitters at Bennett Springs. If I don’t have a Fitbit tan line by the end of the summer, I haven’t spent enough time outside. I have an intense fear of frogs. I can’t explain it, and just writing about them makes me uncomfortable. Oh, and I’m scared of ticks. Again, can’t explain it. Needless to say, I douse myself and my kids with bug spray and steer clear of frogs as much as possible.
In my free time, I love spending time with my husband and 3-year-old twin boys. This can be as simple as having a family movie night, playing outside, camping, going on a walk, or reading books. I also love to read. Each year, I read between 20-25 books.
My biggest pet peeve is when I can hear people chewing…I simply can’t handle it.
My favorite Kansas City hangout is at Overflow, a coffee shop in Liberty. Coffee is a big part of my life, and enjoying it at this cozy coffee shop is absolute perfection.
I found that I am really bad at hobbies, but I’ve recently found an interest in photography. I take a ton of pictures of my family, so I’m exploring professional cameras so I can put my phone down and see life through a different lens (pun intended).
A perfect Saturday for me would include a quiet start to the morning with coffee on the desk with my husband (my kids will sleep in eventually, right?) and a homemade breakfast as a family. Then, going to a local park, City Market, somewhere my kids can be active, or somewhere to explore. After exploring, a nap (I love naps. If napping and coffee were love languages, they would be mine). To wrap up the day, dinner at home (my husband is an amazing cook), and finish up with a family movie night.
Something interesting about me, that people don’t necessarily know, is that I love to sing, but I’m terrified of singing into a microphone! The acoustics in my car and kitchen are much more forgiving. I find a lot of comfort in music, and when I can sing out loud to a song that speaks to me, it’s so healing!! I perform daily concerts for my kids on the way to school, whether they like it or not lol. Also, I have a known obsession with Morgan Wallen.
Finally, my favorite book series is ‘The Inheritance Games’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m not typically captivated by puzzle/mystery books, but these pulled me in! They are thrilling, full of twists & turns, and truly hard to figure out how it’s going to end. I love that they keep you on your toes and wanting more. Highly recommend them!
