Ray and I have owned a home on Seabrook Island since 2006. In the spring of 2014, we moved into our vacation home in the Village of Seabrook and became full-time residents. At that time, we began designing and building our current home on Dove Nest Court.
Our family discovered the Lowcountry; when taking a gamble, I rented a villa on an almost unknown Kiawah Island for a week’s vacation with our three small children. The efforts to develop the island in an environmentally sensitive manner and the unspoiled beaches drew our family back to the island again and again and led to the purchase of a small villa there in 1986.
Eventually, we started to welcome grandchildren and wanted a larger second home to accommodate our expanding family. Happily, we looked next door at Seabrook Island and were instantly drawn to the island’s natural beauty and environmental consciousness. Ray and I quickly appreciated the friendliness and community spirit on Seabrook Island and after making our first purchase never looked back.
Our family lived in Atlanta, GA, for over 40 years, where I was an elementary school teacher in public and private schools. I have both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in Education, emphasizing Elementary and Middle School Math. When not in a classroom, I was an active Mom to our three children serving on many community organizations such as PTAs, including one year as a President and another as Treasurer, the neighborhood swim and tennis club board also serving as the President for a year, and as a Girl Scout Leader.
After more than thirty years, I chose to retire from teaching. Our children had completed their educations, and Ray’s architectural practice began to expand to international venues. We were fortunate to live in Dubai, UAE, for five years, and through that experience, we both gained knowledge and understanding of a vastly different culture and different world views. During those five years, we split our time between Atlanta, Dubai, and Seabrook Island, always returning to the island as soon as we could when based in the US.
Through my participation and leadership roles on Seabrook Island such as President of Seabrook Island Green Space Conservancy and as a member of the Environmental Committee, I have a comfortable understanding of SIPOA’s role in the community. With this knowledge, I would be able to communicate the obligations to possible candidates before they commit to becoming a nominee for a board position. In my opinion, it will be important to encourage property owners who exhibit the qualities of a “Servant Leader,” which is needed to be an effective community leader in a representative form of governance. I would be willing to listen to views different from my own to better understand the perspective of the possible candidates.
I would very much like to help encourage the next SIPOA leaders to consider running for an office, knowing they will be committing time and energy to support and improve the quality of life we all enjoy on Seabrook Island. Adapting an old Girl Scout saying, I would like to leave Seabrook Island not only cleaner than I found it but an even better community than I found it.
