Have you ever met a bedazzled rainbow in human form? If so, you may have met Stanley.
Stanley joined the Maybelle Center community about three years ago and quickly became a steadfast Member. An avid actor and enthusiastic participant, he showed up early for theatre class, stayed late during Community Room hours, and eagerly joined outings around town—usually in a bedazzling outfit, sometimes quite literally.
But Stanley wasn’t simply looking for something to do. He was looking for connection: opportunities to express himself, share his gifts, and build relationships with others. Through Maybelle Center’s programming, he did just that. And those relationships became an important source of belonging as Stanley began facing increasingly complex health challenges.
Before long, it became clear that Stanley needed support with the daily tasks of living. Maybelle Center advocated for his move into our own Macdonald Residence Assisted Living (MacRes). This transition allowed him to receive the care he needed while continuing to prioritize the vibrant social ties he had built at Maybelle Center.
Living just next door to the Community Room, Stanley was able to come to all Community Room hours, connect with friends, and continue expressing himself through our arts programming and outings. Wearing his Maybelle Center nametag everyday, he would proudly introduce himself as a Member. As he began introducing himself more and more to folks he had already met, his sense of connection and belonging to Maybelle Center -where he felt safe, seen, and valued- stayed consistent.
Earlier this year, Stanley moved to a care facility in Gresham. When he left, one small but meaningful reminder of Maybelle Center went with him: his name badge, which he keeps on his bedside table. It serves almost as a testament of who he is in relation to others, even as other aspects of life have gotten blurry.
When Siggy, our Member Support Coordinator, visited Stanley in Gresham, she brought him updates from friends and the Old Town neighborhood. When she returned, Members and staff eagerly gathered to hear how he was doing.
Before long, they had another idea: why not bring Stanley back for a visit?
Together, Members and staff organized a special reunion at Maybelle Center. Stanely was able to make it down to our Community Room, with support from a caregiver, for a special one-hour appearance. Siggy even made posters in a show-bill style, celebrating his love of the theatre and letting folks plan ahead for the reunion. It was a heartfelt opportunity to reconnect, share time together, and remind Stanley—and one another—that distance and life changes do not erase meaningful relationships.
That is part of what belonging means at Maybelle Center. We are here through changes in health, housing, and life itself. Once someone becomes part of our community, that connection does not simply disappear when their circumstances change.
As social beings, we all need relationships that remind us we matter. Belonging can carry us through difficult seasons and joyful ones alike, reinforcing our value not only to others, but for ourselves.
At Maybelle Center, once you are a Member, you are always a Member.
Thank you for supporting a community where belonging can bloom, and where relationships are steadfast, whatever life brings.
