Chesterfieldian Devoted to Helping Others With 'Life Skills'

This week, Patch introduces you to Gwen Knight. Knight is the board treasurer of Life Skills, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities live in a home of their own, maintain a job, learn new skills and contribute to the community. She is also the executive vice resident of Enhanced Value Strategies, Inc., a commercial real estate consulting group.

Gwen Knight grew up on a  ranch in Ogden, UT before she headed Missouri to attend Washington University, where she received her MBA. She then pursued a career in real estate and garnered some notable achievements.

Knight had a primary leadership role in the redevelopment of the Old Post Office building in downtown St. Louis. She also consulted and advised on the redevelopment of One City Centre. That's only two of her achievements.

But a new and unexpected passion was waiting for her.

“I belonged to an organization, and we happened to be sitting at lunch together,” Knight said. “Someone started telling me about Life Skills, and I was invited to join the board. It's a great organization. It's nice to be around people who care.”

Knight— who is now the board treasurer of Life Skills—said that Life Skills works with people with autism, Down Syndrome, and others with developmental disabilities. People who have a hard time living and working on their own without assistance benefit from the organization.

With 710 employees, Life Skills serves more than 1,400 clients in St. Louis and St. Charles counties and St. Louis city.

“We give our clients and their families hope for the future,” Knight said. “Not only are our clients changed by their experiences, but communities are enriched and the values, beliefs and lives of those they touch are transformed.”

One of Life Skills' biggest events of the year, "Teaming Up to Serve," will take place Saturday. Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and team up to rehab three apartment buildings Life Skills operates for their clients. The apartments are located in Riverview, Overland and Kirkwood, and the residents cover the whole spectrum of developmental disabilities. Some have jobs, and others need 24/7 care.

“We'll be doing yard cleanup, interior and exterior painting, painting fences and addressing safety concerns,” Knight said. “We'll fix whatever we find and do things that will improve the quality of life for the people who live there. Any chance I have to help Life Skills, I'm always glad to do it.”

Knight gets a deep satisfaction and fulfillment from her work with Life Skills that's different than what she gets from assisting in multimillion-dollar real estate deals.

“I love applying my business knowledge to helping others,” Knight said. “We are our brother's keeper. I look at others who can't help themselves, and I feel the need to reach out to help them. I've been very blessed. We each have a responsibility to give back and help others.”

Each notable neighbor is asked a series of unrelated questions to offer us some insight into what makes them who they are.

What's your favorite movie of all time? American Presidents
If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, what single thing would you most want with you? My husband.
If you could have a conversation with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be? How do you pick? Abraham Lincoln.
Who was your role model for life? My father. He was a true cowboy. I never heard anyone say anything bad about him. They'd practice roping cattle, and we'd go watch. We'd go to the rodeo every weekend. He was a good guy. I miss him.
What's your favorite book? I love to read. How do you pick one?