THIS month HOME in Queanbeyan celebrate its fifth birthday.
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While many in the community already know the story behind HOME in Queanbeyan, very few will know of the story of the people behind it.
Manager Anne Pratt has been with HOME in Queanbeyan since the very beginning - when the idea was merely a thought.
She became involved with the project through her capacity as a volunteer at the St Benedict's Day Care and was appointed manager of HOME in Queanbyean in 2009.
On reflection, she says the last few years have been filled with times of joy but also times of deep sorrow.
"Five years seems, in some ways, as though it's gone very quickly. I look back at what's happened over the five years and a number of things that we've been through and the residents - a lot has happened," she said.
"A lot of good things and some sad things - we lost Salha one of our residents who drowned in the Queanbeyan River and Paul Nixon who died of cancer the year after.
"We've had some great things happen but some sad things as well."
Anne describes working with the mentally ill as "where my heart lies" and it's something that has touched her own personal life.
"I started volun-teering at St Benedict's at the end in 2001. Earlier that year my husband actually took his life, he had a long term mental illness, he suffered from clinical depression and I think caring for Bernie over many years I knew the struggles people with mental illness face," she said.
"It's my passion, it's not just about Bernie and because he took his life and I thought 'now I have to do something'.
"I have a real passion and love for this area and I know this is where I'm supposed to be. So out of the tragedy of losing my husband and my life changing dramatically, I came to where I am now. This great place is where I am now and that I cherish."
HOME in Quean-beyan has 19 residents - five women and 14 men ranging from 29-years-old to 70-years-old who suffer from illnesses like depression, anxiety and schizophrenia.
It can be at times a very tiring and draining environment for anyone to be in but Anne relies on a number of family, friends and hobbies to keep her in check.
"I have become good at balancing my life. I've learnt that over time, working in this area - it can creep up on you and you can get very, very tired," she said.
"But I have other interests - I play a lot of tennis, I'm learning to play golf and have great family and great friends. I spend a lot of time with them which really helps balance and keep your energy up," she said.
"You learn to not take it on board because if I take it on board and I lose my energy, I'm not doing anyone else any good. It's about not getting stressed. I think if I'm calm it's easier for everyone else to be calm. I've got a great faith too and that plays an important part in what I do here."
Anne says she plans on staying put at HOME in Queanbeyan. One of her great joys is seeing the HOME in Queanbeyan model used as a template for other facilities in Canberra, the South and North Coast.
However, she said it's seeing the residents restored back to full health that brings her the most happiness.
"I was thinking today what we do here is so, so simple. What we do is very much about caring for people, loving people," she said.
"With the residents you get back so much more than what you put in. They are just the most amazing people, I look at some of their lives and what they've been through - they're truly amazing."