Marilia Procopio, the portfolio manager at Elm Grove Companies in Manchester, is flexible like Gumby.
How else to explain how she crams three sections of her busy life into one neat little daily package? She's a single mother raising her 14-year-old daughter, works full-time at Elm Grove, and volunteers for several organizations in a life rich with unselfishness and altruism.
"Yes, my job is flexible," said Procopio, who's 34. "I do networking after work, so thankfully I'm good at my job."
So good, in fact, that Kayleigh Greene gave the Monitor its next Hometown Hero. They've been friends for nine years and worked together at Elm Grove and a mortgage company before that. Greene grew up in Concord, lives in Northfield and knows as much about Procopio as anyone.
"She's really outgoing and very kind," Greene said. "One thing is Marilia is always willing to help someone if she possibly can. She always says yes."
Procopio was modest when interviewed about the Hometown Hero honor. Greene was able to fill in some blanks, saying that she and Procopio created their own holiday cheer shortly before COVID hit, delivering turkeys and gift cards house to house in Manchester.
"She was very passionate about that," Greene said.
Elsewhere, Procopio coordinates golf tournaments at Beaver Meadow and Derryfield Country Clubs through a 501c organization. Money raised goes to children in Manchester and surrounding areas. She also fundraises for the Concord Boys and Girls Club and teachers who might need supplies for their classrooms.
And then there's the volunteer work she does as the vice president of the Concord Young Professionals Network and the Friendly Kitchen. She donates food to the less fortunate.
She stepped down as the Young Professionals Network's president to serve as vice president so she'd have time to devote to yet another volunteer organization: the New Hampshire Apartment Association.
"I do a lot of tenants' rights," Procopio explained. "I deal with a lot of landlords and vendors for restoration, flooring, paint companies, what to do in cases of how safe the landlords are."
Procopio credits her drive to her mother, also a single mom who worked in the same place as a nurse for 25 years. Procopio joined a lot of clubs in high school and began working at McDonald's at age 15.
Meanwhile, her 14-year-old daughter has carried the torch, participating on the cheerleader team at Manchester Memorial High School six days per week. After the season, she'll head back to her old job at Market Basket in Bedford.
Hard work and caring seem to be in the family's DNA.
Wrote Greene in her nominating email: "She always ensures equality and kindness. She truly goes above and beyond to be the best version of herself and to do good by others."