BEREA, Ky. — When Whitney Preston found her new home that she shares with her wife and son in a central Kentucky college town vandalized one morning with the words “lesbian” and “lesbo” spray painted on her property, she felt her world grow a little smaller.

“I was aggravated,” Preston said of the event that occurred in Berea, Kentucky, less than an hour south of Lexington. “I’m new to the neighborhood and I didn’t know anyone and then I found my property had been vandalized.”

Preston, most recently from Paintsville, Kentucky, said she knows not everyone is supportive of her marriage and family and that the incident only compounded the feeling of isolation she felt in a new home with new neighbors and not many friends.

To make matters worse, Preston had to deal with the hurtful situation on her own as her wife, Madison, is currently in boot camp with the United States Army.

However, that feeling of isolation dissipated when Preston’s neighbors stepped up to give the woman and her family a better sense of belonging and community.

On Friday, Preston was awed by the selflessness shown by local students and teachers at Madison County High School who volunteered to spend the first hours of their spring break cleaning up the mess left behind by the vandals.

“The kids were so great,” Preston said. “As a mother, I hope I can raise my children to be just half as selfless and kind as they were. They are some fantastic young people.”

On Monday, Preston’s world opened up a little more, as Bereans For Fairness — the Madison County chapter of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth — hosted a rally and march in support of the LGBT community in front of the city’s Union Church.

The rally was in response to what happened to Preston, who was present for the rally and march.

“It’s two different worlds now,” Preston said as she gestured to the crowd of people bearing signs and gathered in support of her and her family. “In the beginning, I was so down and aggravated. Now, I’m just overwhelmed by the people here and the support they have given me and my wife. I’ve met so many great people since this happened. They didn’t even know me or know about me and still they came out to show they cared.”

Rachel Small Stokes, associate pastor of Union Church, said the reason for the rally, march and subsequent meeting with the Berea Human Rights Commission was to show people that love trumps hate while helping to also draw attention to the incident and to ensure the vandalism was recorded.

During the rally, the pastor spoke about the importance of community and what it truly means to “love thy neighbor.”

“One person in our community has been harmed and, when one person is attacked, we are all attacked,” Small Stokes said of the vandalism. “Whomever did this, did it with the intention to cause fear and harm. They tried to send the message that if you don’t conform, there are consequences.”

Berea College professor and social justice activist Meta Mendel-Reyes said when she heard of the vandalism of Preston’s home she was hurt herself.

“That isn’t the Berea we want, or the Berea we know and love,” Mendel-Reyes said. “This town was built on a basis of equality and we are here today to say that it will stay that way. We are here for something bigger and are committed to keeping Berea a place where all are accepted and loved as neighbors.”

Preston said she is grateful for the support from the community and was glad to meet many of her new neighbors. She also had a few words for the people who vandalized her home.

“Whether or not you believe it, you didn’t do this to evil people,” Preston said. “You did this to a family, a mother and a soldier that is training for war and the right for you to freely disagree with us in your home. You did this to a child whose mother is now afraid for him to watch television by himself in his room at night because there might be people lurking around our home. We are not evil people, we are a family who love each other dearly.”

From the rally at the church, the gatherers marched a short distance to meet with the Berea Human Rights Commission.

“Article four of their powers is the responsibility to record and keep track of incidents like this,” the pastor explained. “We are here to inform them of the incident and support them in that endeavor.”

Small Stokes said the group, along with Preston, planned to encourage the commission to take the matter to the Berea City Council in support of a fairness ordinance.

“We have been told there is no need for a fairness ordinance because there is not hate in Berea,” Small Stokes said. “We have seen that is incorrect and hope the city council will see the need for an ordinance so that others who are living in a little more fear that this happened can be better protected.”

Preston said when she woke up two weeks ago, she wasn’t sure what to think of her neighbors. Now, she is glad to have moved to a town where many hold true to the words “love thy neighbor,” without any exceptions.

Barker writes for the Richmond, Kentucky Register.