A Second Home: Sonia Rebollar’s Two Decades at Butterfield
For Sonia Rebollar, Butterfield Trail Village isn’t just a workplace – it’s a second home. Employed at Butterfield for 20 years, Sonia has built a life rich with connections, purpose and care for the residents she serves and the colleagues she says are like family.
Sonia’s journey to Butterfield began with her passion for cosmetology. After owning her own salon, she joined BTV’s beauty salon at a friend’s encouragement. “The residents really grow on me, and I care about them,” Sonia said. “I still do hair on Saturdays and it lets me keep up with my ladies in the Health Care Center.”
Over time, Sonia decided to seek greater stability and regularity than the salon offered, and she applied for a role in the BTV housekeeping department. The choice was strongly influenced by a personal health scare that made her realize the importance of good health benefits. Today, she balances her full-time housekeeping role with hairstyling appointments on Saturdays, a testament to her work ethic and dedication to Butterfield’s residents.
A Natural Caregiver
Sonia originally dreamed of becoming a social worker, inspired by a deep desire to help others. When her husband worried her “sentimental” nature could make the field too emotionally challenging, Sonia opted to fulfill her calling through cosmetology instead. “Doing hair is about listening to people and sympathizing with them, making them feel better about themselves,” she explained. Sonia says the profession is more than haircuts or therapeutic massages – it’s helping others to feel seen.
Her housekeeping role has been another way to foster meaningful connections with Butterfield residents. “I work in their homes and private spaces, and there is a lot of trust,” she said. “The residents treat me well and show their appreciation in so many ways.”
Rooted in Family and Faith
Originally from Pharr, Texas, about an hour and a half from South Padre Island, Sonia comes from a large family with 11 siblings. As a young woman, life took her far from her hometown – first to Virginia Beach as a Navy wife and eventually to Northwest Arkansas. She misses her brothers and sisters but stays connected to her family. Locally, she has two daughters and an infant grandson, plus another grandchild on the way. Her free time happily revolves around her loved ones.
Sonia’s faith is another source of her strength. She finds enormous peace and connection at Living Faith Church in Fayetteville, a place she describes as “so loving.” Sonia added, “Knowing other people care helps me not feel alone.”
Lessons Learned from Butterfield
As Sonia reflects on her time at Butterfield, she is filled with gratitude. “Home is a place where you feel cared for,” she said. “The residents show us that in big and small ways.” And, working at Butterfield has helped Sonia see aging in a new light and approach it without fear. “The residents show me with their example,” she said.
For Sonia Rebollar, Butterfield Trail Village isn’t just where she works – it’s where she thrives and helps others do the same.
