Mary Westdorp is the director of Kids Hope USA at Glen Lake Community Church. She was born and raised in Northern Michigan and married her high school sweetheart. After feeling called to head west, they moved to Loveland, Colorado in 1976, where they lived for 45 years. They raised their family and volunteered with several community and church projects during that time. In 2019  after retiring, they sold their home and lived in an RV for a couple of years while traveling the country and volunteering through a ministry called SOWERs. 

In late fall of 2021, they purchased their home in Benzie County and found a church family at Glen Lake Community. They are excited to be a part of this beautiful community and work with Glen Lake church and school to spread the love of Jesus Christ. Mary has a passion for helping kids and seeing them succeed in life. She worked as a school librarian and library coordinator for over 20 years and loves seeing the “light bulb” go off in a child’s eyes when they connect with a new concept and realize they matter.

Mary says, that being a mentor for Kids Hope USA allows us to be the hands and feet of Jesus each time we walk through the doors of our community school. As a program director, she works closely with mentors, prayer partners, teachers, students, and staff. Mary believes there is no better place to serve in her church and community.

Now, Mary and her husband live in “the middle” with one son and his family in Pennsylvania and another son and his family in Colorado. They try to make the most of traveling to see their eight grandchildren. Mary also enjoys reading, knitting, watercolor painting, walking in the woods and on the beach, and spending time with friends and family.