Robert Mann

Robert Mann served on the Mountain Home Board of Directors for 2 years and recently retired in order to spend more time at his favorite sport, golf. The problem is, Mann is so committed to Mountain Home and the Missoula community, that he continues to volunteer with the organization at least as much as he did as an official Board Member. He is affectionately known as “Bob the Builder” by the staff and girls at Mountain Home and none of them believe that he is seventy years old.

The Mountain Home Board of Directors is fortunate to have a volunteer as dedicated as Mann. It is remarkable how he came to serve with the Home. In 2001, Mann could be found spending his time helping young men from a nearby group home just because he wanted to. Now, Mann does not believe in handouts, he believes in teaching as he helps. On this particular day in the summer of 2001, Mann was helping a young man who happened to be a sibling to one the girls at Mountain Home. To Mann’s unexpected surprise, the young man backed Mann’s truck into Mountain Home while he was helping his sister move into her new apartment. Well, let’s just say, that is where Mann “ran into” Mountain Home. The young man was required to “learn” how to repair the damage to the building’s siding under Mann’s direction. His work to help the youth of the community did not stop there; he found out then that the agency needed so much help, and he has never left.

The following are just some examples of Mann’s volunteer efforts both for fundraising and other assistance he provides to Mountain Home. First, as a volunteer, Mann saved the program a bundle through his new title of “volunteer maintenance man”; in his first year they spent $500 on repairs and maintenance versus the budgeted amount of $5,000. He also has connections in Missoula that he used to call in favors on behalf of Mountain Home. The home has benefited from free oil changes for the girls to a free backhoe, and the free plumbing services from his son. Second, as a board member, Mann continued to provide invaluable service to the organization through maintenance, teaching life skills such as screen repair and care maintenance to the girls, assisting with the annual fundraiser, the Festival of Trees, running the vehicle donation program and helping to oversee the building of Mountain Home’s new addition in 2003.

Finally, as a friend of Mountain Home, Mann continues to help out whenever they need assistance. Just yesterday he helped rescue one of the girls whose car had broken down. Though Mann may not have raised millions of dollars, the time and commitment he has given to Mountain Home feels like it. Mann continues to share his precious time in retirement with Mountain Home, and to that, they say, “Bob, you are the “Mann”.