Meet Lauren Grattopp | Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Grattopp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success and the success of my business has been the connections I’ve made with others. I worked hard to get to where I am, and all that hard work lead to various opportunities that connected me with other likeminded, driven people with big dreams. I could not have done it myself! My family and friend support systems have been a solid rock for me to fall back on and keep me going when it felt like the end of the road. The people in my life are the most important to me and ultimately are the reason I’ve been able to chase my dreams and be where I am today!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a Certified Recreational Therapist and the Program Director of the Vintage Silver Center. We are a Recreational Therapy based day program for seniors in the heart of Central Phoenix. We are a place where seniors and their families can come to feel a community and support system around them. We are different from other day programs because of our RT foundation and dedication to serving the entire support system, professionals and students through support groups, resources, and professional development like CEU’s and internships/practicums.

I am most proud that we have been able to create a true community of like-minded professionals who all put the wellbeing of seniors before themselves. We are creating a space where our members can be themselves and live the most purposeful, healthy, fulfilling life they can!

It was definitely not easy getting to the place I am at today. I came from a lot of hurt in my other work experiences in various ways over the span of a couple years. It was a huge struggle in the moment to understand why it was happening and where I would go from there in order to still follow my passions and create the life I want for myself and my family. I had to put my trust in Jesus and my relationships to get me through and show me where I was supposed to be. Through the connections I made in my previous environments, the doors were opened for me to join the Vintage Silver Center team to create and run the day program! If I had not gone through every single one of the experiences that left me with that hurt, I would not have had this incredible opportunity to serve this underserved and overlooked community.

Some lessons I’ve learned along the way are to trust in Jesus, lean on my support systems, and be kind to everyone. You never know what doors will open because you were open to connection, even in tough situations!

I want the world to know that even when they don’t feel it, they have a community out there to surround them with love and support! Wether it’s the Vintage Silver Center, the church, their neighborhood or a random person you meet at the grocery store, good people are out there who believe in you and want to lift you up with the resources you need.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
On a week long trip to Arizona I would take my best friend on a day trip to Cottonwood to get out of the heat and visit Colt’s Grill and Merkin Winery then take some pictures in the wildflowers on Mingus Mountain! We would definitely stop at Jerome on the way back to explore the mine, museum and shops there. Once we’re back in the valley I would take them to Buffalo Chip in Cave Creek and Sushi Friend on Central. We would also do a hike up San Tan Mountain and go to a rodeo at Horseshoe Park. Can’t forget to throw some thrifting in at Uptown Cheapskate and Indy Clover too!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Jesus Christ deserves all the credit for my story! I would not be where I am today without his guidance and steady hand on my life. At moments when I didn’t know why I was going through a certain situation or didn’t think I could keep on the same path, I trusted that He had a plan for me. He did and still does! He works all things for good! (Romans 8:28)

Website: https://vintagesilvercenter.org

Instagram: https://instagram.com/vintagesilvercenter

Facebook: https://facebook.com/vintagesilvercenter