I wasn’t always outdoorsy; that started with my dog. Jersey had so much energy that I needed to find a way to get him off-leash. I began walking him around the wooded trails near our house, then hiking. Before long, I was tackling sections of the Long Trail with my four sisters and working to complete New Hampshire’s 48 highest peaks.  

The Long Trail runs the length of Vermont, from the Massachusetts border to Canada. It’s the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country. We’ve hiked from Massachusetts to Waterbury and tackled the northernmost stretch from the Canadian border down to Jay Peak. My niece joins sometimes, too. We do a sunrise hike most years for her birthday.

She has seven boys. I enjoy most weekends with her, watching my great nephews play sports and taking nature walks with the youngest in search of mushrooms, worms, and other creepy crawlies.  My bachelor’s degree is in education, and I have used that background over the years at work—supporting volunteers, mentoring new staff, educating families.  

I started working at the original Respite House in 1997. A friend of mine was in nursing school and said, “You’d be great here.” Back then we didn’t need health care credentials. Just compassion and training. Hospice teaches you that life’s not about having a bucket list—it’s about finding meaning in what you’ve already done and knowing what you’re capable of doing next.

Outside of work, I’ve tried rock climbing and ice climbing. The types of challenging things that reminded me that I can do more than I think. That mindset helped when I decided to go back to school. I’m currently earning my MBA with a health care specialization. The coursework is tough but so is climbing a mountain. And I’ve done that.

Tonya Guyette is the Administrative Manager at the McClure Miller Respite House with Home Health & Hospice. She has been with us for 28 years.