Our Legacies magazine is a special anniversary publication, celebrating our history, the people we have supported, and those who have made our mission possible all these years. Here is one of our stories, by Sondra Hampton, our Director of Licensing for Quality Assurance. Sondra joined Northeast Residence (NER) in 1995 as a Direct Support Professional.

Mary Anne with George at their Hale home.

Mary Anne came to NER in 1997 from Pine City where she lived with her mom. Mary Anne was raised on a farm and staff quickly learned that meant waking up early. If you were the overnight staff, you would often wake up with the sense of someone watching over you. Yes, this was Mary Anne who would wait patiently until 6 a.m. to wake you up. Who knows how long she waited in her room. Mary Anne really knows how to make early mornings not so painful. She always has a smile, positive attitude, and something nice to say about you.

Mary Anne loves visitors and makes them feel welcome by offering a pop to everyone who comes to her house. She also loves staying busy in the community by going shopping, out to eat, and on nature walks. You would be amazed by how many birds she can identify. I often wondered if she was just saying any type of bird to see if I would know if she was correct or not.

At home Mary Anne likes to watch TV and the birds outside her window along with doing crafts and Etch-a-Sketch. I have never seen someone be able to write their name on an Etch-a-Sketch as well as Mary Anne. It is rather impressive if she is willing to show you. However, if she sees you trying to look, she will often shake it to erase the artwork.

Mary Anne is a great friend and has taught me to always be positive. If you ever need an uplift, go visit Mary Anne—you will get a smile, a pop, and probably a “You’re so beautiful” or “You’re nice.”

Mary Anne is pictured above with Michelle Hartmann, the Program Manager at her Hale home, at the 2023 Luau.