Ginny Mack has made Annehurst Elementary her home for the past 43 years, serving as an attendance clerk, volunteer and parent.
During that time, she has been a morning fixture at the school’s entryway, greeting students at the start of the day atop a red mat.
To kick off Annehurst’s 50th anniversary celebration, Principal Tabatha Swain, school staff and Mack’s family surprised her on Sept. 16 by dedicating the welcome mat in her honor.
“Everybody knows she is representative of that red mat,” Swain said. “This is a big honor for her.”
Mack struggled to describe what the dedication meant to her.
"This building and all the kids and people in it are my life,” she said. “When my alarm goes off in the morning, it's because I'm coming here to the school."