NATCHEZ — Penny Harper arrived at the then Natchez Protestant Home at the perfect time — Thanksgiving had just passed and the halls were just a little bit more jolly.

“During Christmas season, we were spoiled by the city of Natchez,” Harper said. “Lots of people would come visit and spread joy.”

The year was 1983, and her last name at the time was Waterman. Harper was in the 10th grade and was one of the children from at-risk homes that ended up at the group home. True orphans had become more and more rare as the 20th century went along.

Harper had left home to live with a friend, but was convinced to give her mother one last chance. It didn’t go well, so she went to South Natchez High School and met with the guidance counselor, and they talked about the children’s home.

Nancy Hungerford and her then-husband, Peter, had recently been hired to be the first foster family, with Peter also serving as the director.

“Peter came and I left with him,” Harper said. “It’s been part of my life ever since.”

It has so much been a part of her life that she calls Nancy mom, and her children call the Natchez Children’s Services’ executive director “Gran.” Harper was even staying at Gran’s residence for this weekend’s reunion centered on the 200th anniversary of the non-profit organization.

“The anniversary was pretty cool,” Harper said. “I didn’t realize that the First Presbyterian Church was celebrating its 199th year. I love that they are so intertwined.”

Prominent Natchez women, who would go on to be connected to that church, first founded the children’s home in 1816 as The Female Charitable Society.

“It was nice to learn that Mrs. Kathie (Blankenstein) was a descendant of the first person who started it,” Harper said. “Mrs. Kathie and Mrs. Clara Chamberlain were never one of my sponsors, but they always loved and supported me.

“Mrs. Clara used to write me in college and send me stuff,” Harper said, as she teared up. “They have just all been a part of my family.”

Nancy Hungerford, who is no longer with her husband, said she believed the bicentennial went off well despite the rain.

“I believe our formidable female founders would have been proud,” she said. “I know it was part of their vision to have it prevail. Making it 200 years is a testament to that.”

The children’s home didn’t bat 1.000, but Hungerford said enough Penny Harper-like success stories have made it worthwhile.

“Penny went to college while she was at the children’s home,” she said. “She met and married her husband at Mississippi State (University) and they’ve had three beautiful children.”

Harper now lives in Baton Rouge, but she always came back through the years, particularly around Christmas.

Though she was particularly popular with the children when she showed up during the summer.

“When I came, the children knew we were going to do something different,” she said. “We’d go fishing, kayaking or hiking. The children loved getting outdoors in God’s creation.”

The center also had a multigenerational effect on her family, as her children would come.

“Every year, I’d come and help out,” Harper’s 20-year-old daughter Honey said. “It actually inspired me to go to school to do this. I want to do exactly what they do here.”

Though now when the Harpers visit the home it has been a little different since 2009, when state law encouraged the children’s home to move away from offering residential services and toward offering services that try to keep children with their families or place them in foster care.

“I was so sad when children stopped living here,” Honey said. “I was like, ‘How am I going to see all of my friends?’”

The place has had an unquestioning effect on her mother.

“I think it has made her a much stronger person,” Honey said. “I don’t know where we would be without it.”

Harper came into her adulthood at the children’s home, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I was loved unconditionally,” she said. “I was taught how to love, socialize and I became a Christian here.

“We had restrictions and rules, but we had fun, too. I loved it and think we had a mostly normal teen life here,” Harper said, smiling. “Mostly.”