Anita  Greene is a gifted lady; you could say she has “gifts of the hands (knitting) and gifts of the heart (giving back)”.    She has always had a compassionate heart and she enjoys giving back to her community.  Anita was just a little girl when her mother taught her to knit.  She is left-handed, so she remembers having to sit across from her mother and pay special attention since she was “learning backwards”.  Knitting gives Anita great pleasure and has been a life-long hobby.

Anita Greene gives a hand-knitted blanket to Alyssa Pooler, and her baby boy, Bentley, at Wayne HealthCare Special Beginnings.

Recently, Anita met with Regina Duff, Director of OB at Wayne HealthCare, to donate five hand-made baby blankets.  Anita makes these blankets with love and she wanted to give them to a family preparing to go home with their brand new baby.  It gives her great joy knowing that her blankets are being used to comfort and snuggle little ones.

If you ask Anita, she will tell you she has a great life.  She grew up on a farm where she had 16 horses and has lived in Darke County her entire life.  Her dad owned a boat, so she grew up boating and fishing, two hobbies that she still enjoys today – and she still gets to be around horses because she has a dear friend who owns a horse farm.

Anita was married for eight years before her husband sadly passed.  She worked at Corning, Inc. for many years until they closed in 2002 at which time she began working in the kitchen at Woodland Primary School.  She still works at Woodland, five days a week, and is very excited for the opening of the new building.  Anita loves her job because she has fun with her co-workers and she enjoys being around the little kids.

Anita has always liked working.  It not only gives her social connections, it also allows her to live in her own apartment and enjoy many hobbies, such as knitting, fishing, camping, playing cards with friends and growing flowers.   These days, she is busy planning and packing for her vacation – in a few weeks she is flying to Florida for ten days of fun in the sun.   Yes, I would agree….Anita has a pretty great life!

Watch for our continued series – Darke DD:  What’s  Your Story? 

For more information on employment supports and community integration opportunities coordinated through Darke DD, please contact Rodney Willis, Community First Director at 459-4626 or rodneyw@darkedd.org.  For more information on the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities visit our website at www.darkedd.org.  Like us on Facebook – Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities