18-year- old Bonnie Pfeiffer was adopted by her parents when she was very young, and she
quickly grew to love her new family, including nine other siblings. She is diagnosed with
Cornelia de Lange syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes a range of physical, cognitive
and medical challenges. Luckily, she doesn’t let her diagnosis get in her way.
Bonnie recently moved into the Hockensmith home at Pony Bird. Dan Rutlege, the program
manager, nominated Bonnie for this award. The mission of Pony Bird is to provide quality care
to non-ambulatory persons of all ages with significant intellectual and physical disabilities. Even
though Bonnie has been at Pony Bird for less than a year, she has already made a huge impact on
the staff there. She is known for her affectionate personality and her wonderful snuggles. The
staff is grateful to be able to interact with her on a daily basis because she really knows how to
make anyone’s day better.