Mary Burton always knew she wanted to help people when she grew up, and she's done exactly that -- first as a lab technician and nurse in various medical settings, then as executive director of the Red Cross in Southeast Missouri, director of the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation and, as of August, executive director of the Community Counseling Center Foundation in Cape Girardeau.

"My love, my background, was in health care, and it progressed from there," she says.

Why health care? "Helping people. Hands down, helping people," she says. "The statement sounds so trite, but when you do make a difference, that's what keeps you getting up every day. When you're helping people, it's not just a job where you clock in and out and get a paycheck. It's intrinsic in your being. In the not-for-profit world, you have to love what you're doing and have a love for helping people."

In her current role, Burton obtains resources that will help the staff at the CCC do their jobs, whether it's funding for a new program or car seats for the children's services staff to transport young clients.

"We're not just in the business of raising resources that are money; we're ferreting out resources that are going to help people," she says. "When you're able to do that, it brings a smile to your heart."

Burton volunteers with Centenary United Methodist Church, Animal Rescue Transport, Rotary Club, the SEMO District Fair, area chambers of commerce and much more.

"I feel like I'm the one that gets rewarded for the work that I do," she says. "Working with the wonderful people that I have had the joy and privilege to work with over all of these years is also a reward in itself. People come into your life and go out of your life, and they touch your life in some way. I hope that I can touch others' lives in a similar way to make a difference."

--Robyn Gautschy