Meet Mary Holk, A Veteran of The Lighthouse Since 1962!

She admits to having a long-time love affair with The Chicago Lighthouse!

She has the distinction of being one of our longest-serving employees, having been associated with The Lighthouse since 1962 when she was just 17 years old!

In that 54-year-period, she has handled many assignments, always earning high marks from her bosses and respect from her colleagues.

Meet Mary Holk of The Lighthouse’s Industries program.

Though visually impaired her whole life, Mary has never let her disability stop her from pursuing her goals.

“Helping others, working hard, and maintaining a zest for life have always been key principles in my life,” she smiled.

Mary recalls first learning about The Lighthouse through her high school and from her brother, who is totally blind.  Her first job here involved putting together grade-school chemistry sets.  From there, she has worked on numerous projects including packaging products, sorting calendars and other items for distribution.  In her free time, Mary enjoys her passion for music and art.

Through all the years,  her love for The Lighthouse has never wavered.

“I absolutely love the people and love working with other Lighthouse employees,” she maintained.  “There’s a chemistry in our program that allows us to love the work we do and have fun, while still creating the best product possible,” adding that the people and environment really make this a special place!