Cascade Connections Supported Living (West Lynden)
Meet Mark, a member of Cascade Connections’ Board of Directors and a recipient of our Supported Living services in West Lynden. Mark is well known and loved in the Cascade Connections community and beyond for his stories and his excellent sense of humor. Mark was born in 1948 and has achieved many accomplishments, including a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s in California and a Masters in Recreation Education from University of Iowa. Mark joined the Cascade Connections community about 10 years ago and currently receives 24-hour Supported Living services at his house in Lynden.
Although his mobility has become quite limited over the years, Mark still spends hours carefully folding his own laundry because he cherishes his independence. He also spends hours at his computer writing stories, which he often shares with staff. He is currently working on an autobiography with the help of a hospice volunteer. Mark loves Christmas and writes an annual “Bobby Bear” Christmas letter, which is a reference to a stuffed bear and book from his childhood.
Mark really appreciates his housemates, Larry, Eric, and Galen, and Mark’s sense of humor contributes to a convivial house environment. Mark and Galen sometimes race down each other in their electric wheelchair, and the housemates often eat dinner together and sometimes go on fun excursions to places like Mariners’ games, the Museum of Flight, and Birch Bay. Mark frequently requests to “go find the donut fairy” – which is code for taking a group trip to LaFeen’s Donuts!
Mark loves telling stories and joking around with staff, with whom he has accumulated lots of inside jokes and traditions over the years. He has nicknames for all of his staff and enjoys teasing them. Jessica told us that Mark jokingly calls her “Miss Nice” when she takes them to get donuts and “Miss Mean” when she is getting serious about something! After Thanksgiving, Jessica and Mark also have a ritual of going ugly Christmas sweater shopping at Value Village. Mark loves attending Cascade Connections events such as our agency picnic and our Christmas party.
Cascade Connections Supported Living team in West Lynden has assisted Mark in pursuing various other interests and hobbies. A fan of Michael Bublé, Mark attended one of his concerts in Seattle a few years ago. He also tried kayaking for the first time at the Community Boating Center two summers ago, and he went again last summer. Mark and his housemates and staff went to a Seattle Mariners game together in 2023. In 2024, they took a trip to the Museum of Flight, where Mark recalled many memories and stories. Mark also goes swimming at Forge Fitness and attends church on Saturday nights at St. Joseph’s Catholic in Lynden. He has befriended his pastor, Pastor Ben, who often stops by the house to visit Mark.
Our Creative/Marketing Department staff recently had the opportunity to interview Mark about his life and his contributions to our community, and he gave us permission to share the following excerpts.
Mark, you’ve been a significant community member here in Whatcom County for a long time. Have you always lived here?
I was born here in this area in 1948, but I grew up in the Bay area. My parents were in the Navy, and my mom was a nurse in the medical corps. When I was little I used to fall down a lot, so my parents felt like they were not able to provide all of the physical therapy and support I needed. When I was three, I attended a boarding school in California that provided intensive physical therapy and occupational therapy. I attended grade schools, graduated from high school in Oakland, and attended college at St. Mary’s College of California before moving to Whatcom County in 1981.
Did you enjoy college?
Well, I wanted to fit in, be a regular guy, and party, but there were some barriers. However, I performed well academically and graduated with a degree in literature. I love reading and hearing people’s stories, and I actually write stories myself. I am currently writing a love story featuring a girl with cerebral palsy and a boy without a disability.
You have donated a lot of your time to various community efforts over the years. Will you tell us about some of those?
Back in California, I was president of the Lion’s Club. I received the Melvin Jones’ Award and am now a Lion’s Club member for life. I’ve been involved in the Lion’s Club in Lynden as well. I helped them establish Lion’s Camp Horizons, a nonprofit that provides recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
I joined Cascade Connections’ Board of Directors several years ago, and I assisted with the 2017 Wheelchair Van Fundraiser video. I also help the Cascade Connections’ Training Center with staff training and orientation.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not volunteering?
I love getting out to see people, riding around my neighborhood, and having people over to my house. I also enjoy watching basketball, baseball, golf, football, and the TV show Perry Mason. My favorite sports teams include the Hawkeyes, Mariners, and Giants.
What do you tell new staff on orientation day?
I give them an idea of what it’s like to be a caregiver and how they should treat people. I ask them to reflect on the reasons why they want to work with people with disabilities. I ask them to always remember that they are caring for a person and that to be successful caregivers, they need to get to know their clients and how to best support them.
I also share some of the things that are most important to me: that I have the chance to try to do things as independently as I can, that my caregivers take the time to listen to me, and that I get to participate in the community.
I tell them that the truth is, caregiving can be a challenging job but it is also very rewarding! I fell in 2010 and lost the ability to walk, and I mention to the students that I am someone who needs a lot of assistance with personal care, including two-person Hoyer lift transfers out of my electric wheelchair into the bathroom and into bed. I tell staff that caregiving may be a hard job but it’s worth it, and I wish them luck!
Site Manager Jessica, who works closely with Mark, told us that Mark looks forward to participating in Welcome & Orientation Day and frequently asks when the next one is happening. Mark has told Jessica that his assisting with caregiver training adds to his sense of purpose and belonging in his community. Our Training Coordinator Michael had the following to say about Mark’s contribution:
Mark provides an excellent look into the future of our caregivers. Mark has goals and a way of life that he wants to live on his terms, with the support of caregivers assisting him to get there. Mark’s participation in our new hire process is of vital importance toward increasing our staff’s understanding of supporting our clients’ agency and independence. Mark Hildebrand is a pillar within his community who advocates for individuals with disabilities by breaking down potential biases associated with people with disabilities.
Our Creative/Marketing Department staff recently had the opportunity to sit in on Mark’s conversation with new staff, and it is worth adding that Mark’s sense of humor made itself apparent almost immediately! He elicited quite a few smiles from the new staff as he assured them, with a twinkle in his eye, that he and his housemates in West Lynden “are always on our best behavior!”
Needless to say, the Cascade Connections community would not be the same without Mark! It is a privilege to work with him.