I bet you could find a hundred ways to define family. Oxford Languages defines family as “a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit” or “all the descendants of a common ancestor”. However, I don’t choose to define family by bloodline. To me, family is the feeling of loyalty, selflessness, love and genuine care of others. This feeling can come from anyone and anywhere! Not only have I found family in those I live with or those I grew up with, but I also find family in the Red Door community. 

Working at the front desk I get to meet and learn about a lot of different people. I truly love hearing their stories and learning about their lives. We get to know the parents, but we also get to really know the kids. I would have never learned about a few of the small businesses in town, seen some of my favorite elementary school teachers or found some student’s hidden talents if I didn’t sit at the front desk every day. I started my venture with Red Door taking dance classes after graduating high school in 2012. It was just a few short months later that I became a full time employee. Over the last 9 years I’ve made many bonds with parents and dancers that I consider like family. I love going to the grocery store and seeing familiar faces. It really drives home that sense of community. It brings a smile to anyone’s face when you walk in a building and see a familiar face or two. But, I don’t only get that feeling walking through the grocery store. I love walking into the studio and seeing the smiling faces of the kids (and parents pre-covid). There is always a warm welcome from the entire Red Door family- staff, dancers, parents and even siblings. 

Going through the shutdown made everything a little more difficult, but we weren’t going to let anything stop us from seeing our people. Drive through Easter parades, virtual dance parties and snail mail kept us together during the toughest of times. I can’t wait for the day that I walk into the lobby and see all the smiling faces again! I’m so thankful that we’ve all been able to stay connected in the ways that we have! 

I’ve been fortunate to celebrate some of my biggest milestones with all the members of our Red Door family like graduating college, getting married and now having a baby (SURPRISE)!!! There really is no greater support and love. I’m so excited to watch the community continue to grow as new members are welcomed in. I will forever be grateful for my Red Door family!