When Mary first came to Little City in 2015, she viewed it as a good opportunity to get some experience as she was just starting to get into the medical assistant field. Eleven years later, she realizes that what began as just an initial opportunity had become exactly where she was meant to be.
“I had never worked in this field before. I had done retail jobs and would move around every few years, so I didn’t think this would be much different when I started,” Mary said. “But I fell in love with the job and the people and my co-workers. It is just a great place to be. There is a familiarity to it when you come in every day, but I’m also always looking forward to something new because everyone has such big personalities.”
Mary first started as a residential DSP working in the CILA homes but has since moved to Countryside Center where she teaches in the day program classrooms. While she enjoyed her time in the residential program, she said she loves Countryside even more because she can interact with more participants, teach skills and classes, and go on community outings.
“Being in the classroom with them, you get to see another side you don’t always get at the home when they are in a comfort zone. You see them learn new things and interact with others here, and you can really see their growth on community outings and volunteer work. There is always something new to learn in this job and I have really enjoyed the whole experience.”