Posted by patch.com

Seven years ago, when Mary Kate Pipolo took a server position at Peace Village Senior Living Community in Palos Park, she had no idea of the impact the job would have on her life – or the impact she herself would make on Peace Village and its residents. Originally planning a career in communications, Pipolo fell in love with working with seniors and that changed the trajectory of her life. Pipolo was promoted to Lead Server in 2019 and, in a very short time after, earned the role of Dining Supervisor.

Now in her final year at Saint Xavier University and looking forward to a career in senior living services, Pipolo was required to write a research paper and create a project around that thesis. She wrote about the “Misconceptions of Aging” and thought to host a small dinner for about 20 Village residents to present her findings about the myths and facts surrounding growing older, and to benefit Lora’s Fund, which provides financial assistance to residents whose lives extended beyond their resources. What happened during planning astonished even Pipolo. Read more.