Mary, left, with her sister Helen, at a Crossroads art show this summer.
Mary Manzolini is not only the longest-standing individual of any BCArc program—this includes some 1,000 people—she is a founding member. An original. Her parents were part of the initial group that conceived and launched BCArc in 1954.
Of the first group served by BCArc 65 years ago, only Mary survives. Tracing Mary’s journey through BCArc, when she started at age 11, is also a journey through BCArc itself. For example, she learned jobskills through a now defunct workshop program. As the vocational component of BCArc evolved, she spent years working at Jiminy Peak. She lived with a family in Dalton—a shared living situation—for 15 years. Today she lives with her sister Helen Horton and attends BCArc’s Crossroads program, a program she’s been with since it started 12 years ago. There she exercises, does yoga, arts and crafts, and other activities to maintain health.
“She loves the program like she loves her diet soda,” said her younger sister Helen Horton. “She also loves her pocketbooks, don’t get caught touching her purse,” she added, laughing.
BCArc’s Birth
BCArc began with 11 people coming together to create a support network. The regular meetings started to attract more families, and eventually professionals—teachers, doctors, nurses, speech and hearing specialists, and more.
National players, like Dr. Elizabeth Boggs, often called the First Lady of the national Arc network, loaned a guiding hand as BCArc started to solidify. Details of BCArc’s history lacks documentation due to a building fire in 1991, where its records were lost, along with the entire main office.
Accolades for Mary and Family
Mary at her Jiminy Peak retirement party in 2002.
At BCArc’s 45th anniversary Annual Meeting in June 1999, Mary’s mom, a BCArc founder, told the room, “Who would have thought that from a small group of concerned people that BCArc would become what it is today. The seed took. . . . Many thanks to all of you out there who had a hand in keeping this organization alive.”
Awards for Mary over the years have filled her portfolio, such as “Worker of the Month” at Berkshire Unlimited in November 1985 and again in May 1989. There are others for writing, coin counting, reading, and more. Helen noted that Mary has had significant friendships over the years, naming Wendy, Ann, Tom, her dance partner Jimmy, and her teacher June.
At Mary’s retirement party after working at Jiminy Peak for 10 years, Mary’s supervisor said, “We have learned a lot from her over the years, . . . . she will be deeply missed.”
“She refuses to slow down,” said her sister Helen. “Sometimes I think we’re all aging except Mary. It’s no surprise to me that she is the individual remaining of the original group. She’s still healthy and full of energy every day.”
