Forty-five years is a long time to devote to a cause, and that&rsquo;s why Crittenton Children&rsquo;s Center recently bestowed a special honor on Mary Smart Higdon.</p><p>Crittenton was formed in the 1890s as multiple centers across the country designed to help children with psychiatric needs.</p><p>Smart Higdon began working with the local center in the 1960s when her friend Patty Ferguson invited her to join the board of directors.</p><p>Not long after she accepted the role, she was asked to resign from the local board and joined the national board of directors. She served out her term, but still found ways to help out, both nationally and locally. </p><p>&ldquo;Mary&rsquo;s role, as time went on, was key in bringing all of the centers together,&rdquo; said Janine Hron, chief executive officer for Crittenton in south Kansas City.</p><p>Over the years, Smart Higdon served in many capacities.</p><p>She was on the committee for long-range planning, chairwoman of the board, chair of the capital campaign, committee for performance benefit recognition and human resources. </p><p>Hron called Smart Higdon the &ldquo;chief cheerleader and fund-raiser.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve know her since 1985,&rdquo; Hron said. &ldquo;She is wonderfully grounding and helps keep the organization vital and moving forward.&rdquo;</p><p>When others were unable to take the lead, Smart Higdon would step in to get the job done, Hron said. Smart Higdon worked with the organization to set up meetings twice a year where directors could discuss challenges, ask for help and work on advocacy.</p><p>&ldquo;She had really strong organizational leadership and skills at that time,&rdquo; Hron said. &ldquo;She is a very old-school, eat-in-the-cafeteria, get-it-done girl.</p><p>&ldquo;She is not too shy to say, &lsquo;This is what we need; this is what we should do.&rsquo; I find that very helpful about Mary&rsquo;s work.&rdquo;</p><p>Though she finally retired a year ago, Smart Higdon still holds Crittenton in her heart.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not actively involved,&rdquo; Smart Higdon said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m spiritually involved.&rdquo;</p><p>Even after retiring, Smart Higdon is well-known to the staffers at Crittenton, who go out of their way to interact with her. </p><p>&ldquo;They were telling me things about me I don&rsquo;t remember,&rdquo; Smart Higdon said.</p><p>Since her retirement, Smart Higdon has taken it easy, preferring instead to spend time with her husband and daughter.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m almost 83,&rdquo; Smart Higdon said. &ldquo;I just haven&rsquo;t picked up any new challenges in the last two years.&rdquo;</p><p>But Crittenton didn&rsquo;t forget those 4&frac12; decades of service. She was recognized for her work during the organization&rsquo;s sixth annual &ldquo;A Toast to Children&rdquo; fundraiser on Oct. 1.