November 9, 2005
Mary Marois honored for tireless work
Human services organization recognizes Marois as 2005 Collaborator of the Year
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Merging compassion, service and passion, Mary Marois knows she has the best job in the world.
Even after 37 years in the human services field, the director of the Grand Traverse/Leelanau Department of Human Services is still excited about coming to work, helping others and making a difference in her hometown. Every day, she is lit up by the work her staff of 54 people accomplishes - plus the connections forged among the myriad other health, education and human services organizations to help those in need.
In one way or another, Marois' agency impacts more than 6,000 people in the region.
"I wonder almost if I would be this passionate if it didn't work," said Marois, a graduate of St. Francis High School and a Northwestern Michigan College alumna. "But that fact that it works and you see the benefit of it on a daily basis, that's where the passion comes from. We are making a difference."
The Grand Traverse Collaborative recognized Marois for her dedication and commitment last month at their annual meeting by giving her their Collaborator of the Year Award. Director Barb Lemcool noted that Marois is characterized by a "How can it be done" attitude. Basically, she is unstoppable, a crucial trait in an era of shrinking funding for agencies and burgeoning challenges for families and individuals.
"She is wonderfully creative and an amazing problem solver," noted Lemcool. "She is also a convener that brings the right people together - checking their egos and turf at the door - and collectively they come up with strategies that impact our community."
The Grand Traverse Collaborative, formerly the Human Services Coordinating Council, bestowed the award at it's annual meeting last month. Organizers of the event managed somehow to keep the honor a secret from Marois despite her involvement in just about everything. Using a time-tested tactic of a decoy, they led to her to believe up until the last minute that Mary Lee Lord, executive director of the Women's Resource Center, would be the recipient.
"All of a sudden they started talking and I was thinking, 'I didn't know she was involved in this,'" recalled Marois of the ceremony, though she quickly caught on.
"It is such an honor to be recognized by the people that I have so much respect for," she added. "That award could have gone to so many people who work tirelessly day after day after day to make this work."
Calling her job a labor of love, Marois began her career in Traverse City in 1968. After a year, she moved downstate and worked in the Kalamazoo and Lansing areas before returning north in 1982. She worked in the Antrim County area before transferring to Grand Traverse/Leelanau.
Marois is known for her ability to knit partnerships among diverse groups, with her ideas tapping organizations in education, human services, government, private sector, religious and health care areas. She was instrumental in founding the Regional Health Care Coalition to serve uninsured people, is part of the Poverty Reduction Initiative's steering committee, and helped guide the creation of Miracle Manor and is part of a collaborative effort to revive it.
"It is a pleasure to be part of the human services community in this area," she said. "I have the best job in the world!"