Known as Rose House’s musician, Mark captivates audiences with his clarinet performances, including his housemates and the community.
Mark found an unconventional path to his forever home. While working at Employment Horizons, he attended many social events and developed friendships with Rose House residents. He was excited to learn about an opening at the Hanover Community Residence in 2019, where he could live among his peers.
Mark looks forward to working and especially enjoys starting and ending each day with five of his housemates in the transport van.
“He loves to work because it’s a socializing opportunity,” said Mark’s mother, Sara. “I love it when Mark’s phone rings on the weekend, and it’s a coworker who just wants to chat. Work provides him with a sense of accomplishment, and he feels that what he does is just as important as his brother’s job at the pharmacy, or anyone else’s career.”
Sara noted that Mark has become more independent and proactive in his daily activities. Living at Rose House has empowered him to advocate for his needs more effectively. He now creates his own schedules and no longer procrastinates when informing his parents or Rose House staff about his needs. He also takes the initiative to ask staff about upcoming events instead of waiting for them to inform him.
“He feels very comfortable with the Rose House staff,” Sara explained. “I can sleep soundly knowing that Mark is happy and in a safe place with good people.”
Mark enjoys bowling, swimming, and attending Broadway shows. He also looks forward to his brother John’s weekly visits to play video games. However, his greatest passion is playing the clarinet. In high school, Mark was a member of the marching band, and he has also played in the Chatham Community Band alongside his father and Ed Abelew, the President of the Rose House Board of Trustees.
