Laura Buffa Mason

Laura Mason's sparkling blue eyes bubble over into a smile that can light up a room or lighten a load. Her energy and joy instantly draw you in as she enfolds you in love and then gives you a gentle shove toward a brighter day or more hopeful tomorrow. Making people feel comfortable is a skill she uses in her job as activities director for the S.H.A.R.E. Senior Center on Hilton Head Island, and it is the skill that will inevitably drive her future career. She knows where she's going, and as far as she's concerned, where she came from doesn't matter.

Beginning life as a carnival kid, Laura admits that eating hotdogs and cotton candy every day was fun, but perhaps not the best path for her well-being. Behind in school and struggling to read at age seven, the turning point came when she went to live with her dad (Stephen Buffa) and stepmom, who provided the stable home life and discipline she needed. "I was given a chance-an opportunity for a better way of life," she said.
A self-proclaimed tomboy, Laura showed an early aptitude for sports: roller skating, ice skating, ice hockey, snow skiing. "I was always willing to try something new," she said. But the one thing she refused to do was wear a skirt. "Mom [stepmom, Karen Pollini] had to beg me to try out for field hockey because they wore skirts," Laura said. "Thank goodness she talked me into it."

Laura played field hockey throughout high school, earning a scholarship to play for New England College where her coach, Susan Murray, furthered her ambitions. "The minute I met her, I knew that I was meant to be there. She pushed me and encouraged me to do whatever I want to do." said Laura.

After graduating with a degree in sociology and a minor in coaching, Laura served as assistant field hockey coach at NEC, a position she left behind when she and her husband moved to Hilton Head Island to be near his family. "When I first got here, I was having a hard time figuring out what to do," said Laura. She originally wanted to work with children, she said, but took a job at a local nursing home instead. Soon thereafter, she met Frank Soule, executive director of the Island Recreation Association, who hired her to take charge of the S.H.A.R.E. Senior Center's activities-a job she absolutely loves. "It always seems like things happen for the good," said Laura, whose current responsibilities include planning day trips and overnight trips, socials, theme parties and a variety of other activities and educational forums for seniors, age 50 and up. "People think we just crochet and play board games," she said. "That's not it at all. Everybody that comes here is so much fun-so full of life and energy. I've learned so much from their experiences and stories. It's like having a big family when I come to work."

While she enjoys working with seniors, Laura is currently attending graduate school online with the goal of becoming a school counselor and coach. As she reflects on what could have been a very different outcome in her own life, she said, "It's devastating to think what I could have become.

A lot of people on my journey have touched my life. Without them, I wouldn't be here and be so happy. I feel like there is a purpose, and that is to help people and to encourage them that they can do anything. I truly believe that."

To learn more about activities and educational opportunities at S.H.A.R.E.: visit islandreccenter.org/share.php or call (843) 785-6444.

*Up Close*

Hometown: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Moved to HHI: in 2003
Family: husband, David; son, four-month-old Dylan; beloved canine companions, Maverick and Chase
Describes herself as: friendly, compassionate, genuine and open-minded
When not working or taking care of her newborn, find her: at the pool working on her tan or playing golf with her family.
Life Motto: "It's not where you come from, but where you are going."