Stories of Service

Senior Companion Marguerite Rice has experienced a lot of hardship in her life, as she has had to deal with the death of three of her children.  Despite such  tremendous loss, Marguerite has found the strength to stay resilient.  “Life’s not going to be a walk in the park, so you’ve got to roll with the punches,” she said.  Marguerite has brought this positive attitude with her during her time volunteering as a senior companion at the Mt. Pleasant MMI.  She spends much of her time working with developmentally disabled adults, which is something she has had experience with, as two of her children struggled with similar issues.  Rice said the experience has been a rewarding one. “It’s gratifying to see how just a little human touch can affect a person.  The joy that you can give them does me more good than anything," she said.  Marguerite commented on the people she works with,  “It’s amazing what they can do and accomplish. They take pride in being able to do the things they can.”  Rice said the financial benefits of receiving a stipend for her volunteer service is nice as well, as it helps her pay for the things she needs.