Most people who know Louise smile when you mention her name. She’s the kind of person who warms your heart, makes your day. You forget about your troubles when you’re with Louise.

“She is a very funny, happy person,” said Laura      Cravens, Associate Director of Boone County Family          Resources, who has known Louise for a number of years.  “She likes to play jokes on people, like she will say, ‘Don’t touch my nose,’ which means she wants you to touch her nose. When you do, she laughs and laughs.”

You can’t help but laugh too. Louise’s laughter is infectious. So you can imagine what happened at the ACT Christmas party when Louise received an award for 15 years of service and started to laugh.

“It was contagious,” said Kendall Schler, a teacher-counselor at the BCFR supported living site where Louise lives. “When she laughed everyone in the event hall began to” laugh “then clapped for Louise.”

Louise, 53, has been receiving services from BCFR since 1995 when she moved into one of the supported living sites. Since starting her job at ACT, Louise has continued to report that she likes her job, adding, “I have a good job.”

Melissa McBroom, Site Supervisor of the eight-unit complex where Louise lives, said Louise has really opened up over the past few years.

“She used to just have her certain sayings to staff and now she has branched out,” McBroom said. “Louise is most of the time full of laughter and joy at seeing others she knows.”

Schler said Louise has learned to enjoy herself at functions such as the ACT Christmas party whe

visited with friends, sang Christmas songs and walked through the buffet-style dinner with a staff member who helped her spoon food onto her plate. Louise’s favorite saying for the night was, “Tis the season to be jolly!”

After Louise received her award she said thank you and returned to her table and showed it off to admirers. To top the evening off Louise participated in the raffle and won a $10 gift card to Wal-Mart.

It was a night for Louise.

 

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