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There are a few people whose presence holds a space together. Not by commanding attention, but by quietly offering it. Ann is one of those people. She’s been part of the Shamrock Club since nearly the beginning—over 40 years—and even that feels like the least interesting thing about her. She’ll never tell you how many lives she’s helped change. Instead, she’ll talk about growth, like tending to a garden. She’ll talk about how they help her grow. “It’s a mutual kind of thing,” she says, smiling. “It’s not just about getting people sober. It’s about finding out the real person they are and living out of that.” Kerri, a client, calls her a blessing. She says, “I feel like I can share anything with her, I'm so glad God put her in my life.” Jim, a former client who’s known her for many years, says, "I was out one the street, and when I can into the program, she was actually my case manager. She helped me see the light I was searching for.” Both describe the same woman in different words: someone who shows up, someone who listens, someone who sees the good in everyone. Ann calls it community. But it’s more than that—it’s a kind of unspoken leadership. A matriarch not by title, but by the way people gather near her and begin to believe they can change. She doesn’t raise her voice. She raises people. This #WomensHistoryMonth , we honor Ann, and all the women whose humility, strength, and quiet perseverance shape our ministry every day. (fb)