October 30, 2013
2013
WOMEN TO WATCH
A Special Publication of
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Wednesday October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
Letter from the editor
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he Summerville Journal Scene’s Women to Watch has grown yearto-year since it’s beginnings in 2007. Every year the list of nominees from our readers grows, and every year we introduce to our readers ten Women to Watch. The selection is a daunting process – one we look forward to each fall. Just as in year’s past, the 2012 honorees represent a wide mix of professions and charitable organizations of which they are an integral part. They will be recognized at a reception in November at which time they will be presented with a framed photo with their story as a remembrance of their recognition as a 2012 Woman to Watch.Congratulations to the 2013 Women to Watch!
Judy S. Watts
This year’s honorees follow an impressive list of past winners: 2007
2009
Rita Berry Loren Bethea Vi Matheny Deb Campeau Jill Henry Monica Karam Victoria Platt Ellis Kristin Sagliocco Kathy Randall Holly Patterson
2008
2011
Debbie Miler Cristy Sanders Kelly Williams Naomi Nimmo Lynn Haney-Singleton Becky Ford Jan Parsons Tiffany Provence Toni Fivecoat Annette Young
2010
Barbara Dunning Babette Hamilton Jenny Horne PJ Johnson Alexandra Kassing Sharon Laney Kay Phillips Candace Pratt Georgia Toney Diane Walker
Melony Are Sarah Coleman-Lee Angie Crum Elena Furnari Martha Green Cyndy Jackson Lissa Lara Maité Murphy Jennifer Schlette Angela Vest
2012
Lori Dibble Alessa Bertoluzzi Bette Century Thomas Betty Settle Deborah Cloutier Jan Waring-Woods Kelly Knight Laura Perdue Marie Williams Susan Morris
Yvonne Caruso DeeAnn Farrell Lisa Hamilton Sarena James Ashton Johnson Amy Karpus Wendy Lee Marlena Myers Whitney Ringler Monica Shows
2013
WOMEN TO WATCH
Ellen Priest, President & Publisher Judy Watts, Executive Editor Chris Zoeller, Regional Advertising & Marketing Director Cheryl Cargill, Business Manager Staff Writers: Taylor Griffith, Roger Lee, Anne Sheehan, Michael Quirk Advertising Staff: Nick Daniels, Ashley McGee, Jasmine Moultrie, Sarah Wiggins & Maurice Frazier Administrative Assistant: Alvenus Washington Cover by: Krena Lanham Women to Watch is a special publication of the Summerville Journal Scene. The Summerville Journal Scene publishes Wednesdays and Fridays and online at www.JournalScene.com. To subscribe or advertise, call 843-873-9424.
2013
WOMEN TO WATCH
A Special Publication of
A Special Publication of ®
104 E. Doty Ave. • Summerville, SC 29483 843.973.9424
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‘By no means satisfied’
Saving primates her life’s work
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Renowned host, passionate gardener
Paying it forward
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Community servant steps into the spotlight
Champion for those without a voice
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Triumph over tragedy
Propelled by a love for children
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Living a legacy of service
Faith over politics
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
Margie Pizarro
‘By no means satisfied’ Taylor Griffith The Journal Scene
argie Pizarro knows what it means to struggle. It’s easy to see why a person might not think so after meeting her: the Summerville entrepreneur has three college degrees and founded her own law practice, Pizarro Law Firm; her wide smile and acute sense of fashion combined with her vibrant personality and empathetic heart prove she’s beautiful inside and out; she’s a mother of four; and she’s a community philanthropist, volunteer and mentor. But her story today is far different from when she moved to Summerville nine years ago, and Pizarro said she gladly tells the tale to anyone who will listen. “If I can do it, anyone can do it,” she said. “I always say that I want to write a book and if I do it will be called ‘$500 and a Car Full of Children’ because that’s all I had… and a dream.” That dream has gotten Pizarro far. Far from her childhood in Walterboro, S.C., where she was raised in poverty by a single mother.
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“I tell my clients that if you invest in your case, I will invest in you.” Far from becoming a young, single mother herself after one year at Clemson University. Far from working as a 5th grade teacher in Greenville County. Far from paying her way through a master’s program at Columbia College while raising four children. “I was in my twenties with four kids and no money and I just said to myself ‘honey, this is not working for me!’ and I made a change.” Pizarro credits her success to a combination of elements, including the help of community members who “embraced us” when her family arrived and her own determination and work ethic. “People look for opportunities to help the underdog, and that’s what I’ve always been,” she said with a smile. Pizarro is now looking for her own opportunities to help the “underdog,” an approach she’s See Pizarro Page 13
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Linda Shelbourne
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
A faithful host, gardener By Michael Quirk The Journal Scene
inda Shelbourne points out the ginger lilies in her garden. They have the sweetest scent, she says, pulling the slender stalk forward to enjoy the fragrance. Gardening is her passion and it shows in the property surrounding her home. The gardens – there are gardens within the larger garden – are filled with interesting plantings huddled in small corners, bordering walkways or soaring next to vine-covered arches. Shelbourne was born in Pennsylvania and married to Peter in the United Kingdom in 1961. Linwood Bed & Breakfast became their home in 1979. It’s at Linwood where Shelbourne’s gardens and her special talent for dispensing hospitality come together. “What makes Linwood what it is, is the hospitality,” she says. “The root word is “host” and while we are hosting these people we want them to be enriched, inspired and to enjoy themselves.”
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“No matter your ethnic background, social rank or whatever, we’re all brothers and sisters of one father.” Today Linwood is one of the Top 10 Bed and Breakfasts in the world by www.bedandbreakfasts.com. The house used to shelter their three sons: Brandt, Matthew and Courtney. They grew older, got married, had children of their own but never strayed far from home. Before that she studied at La Chatelainie in Neuchatel, Switzerland, Le Sorbonne and University of Paris in France, the Triangle School of Business in London, and became a master gardener through Clemson Univer-
See shelbourne Page 13
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
Jan Martin
Community servant steps into the spotlight Taylor Griffith The Journal Scene
t’s a Thursday afternoon and I go to meet Jan Martin at her Summerville home for an interview. She’s outside on the porch waiting for me and as I stick out my hand expecting to shake hers, much to my surprise, it is overlooked and she pulls me in for a warm hug instead. After talking with her, it’s obvious that’s just the kind of lady Martin is. She’s an open book and invites me into her house right away as she begins chitchatting about her three young grandsons, whose pictures are littered throughout the home. “This is the best time of my life,” she said happily as she spoke of spending time with 4-yearold Grantham, 2-year-old Eli and 8-month-old Daniel. “Having grandchildren has given me a new inspiration for life and a new love for life.” It only takes a few minutes to realize just how important children are to her.
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“If you believe in a cause you need to stand up for it.” Not only was she a teacher for eight years before leaving the workforce to have her son, but her husband, Dr. Jim Martin, is also one of the area’s most well known obstetricians and gynecologists. The proud grandmother said when she’s not spending time with her family, she is volunteering with several groups in the area that serve children, including Dorchester Children’s Center, the Summerville Good News Club and area schools such as Rollings Middle School of the Arts and Charleston Southern University. “If you have the extra time to give to our children it will not be a moment wasted on their future,” she said. “I’ve always felt strongly that we all have a purpose, a value, and we should use that for good. If you believe in a cause you
See martin Page 13
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene W
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Deona Ryan Bien
Triumph over tragedy A.M. Sheehan The Journal Scene
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Judy Watts/Journal Scene
urning the most devastating personal tragedy into a life of trying to keep others from experiencing the same tragedy, is what helped 46-year-old Deona Bien of Summerville survive after the accidental death of her daughter. Left in a car for an hour by her babysitter, Bien’s daughter Aslyn Ryan, died from hyperthermia only a few days after her first birthday. She speaks calmly of the tragedy that brought her to where she is today. “It took seven years of fertility treatments to have her,” says Bien, “and she was a twin, but I was only able to carry Aslyn to term. She weighed four pounds, two ounces when she was born and was such a good-natured baby.” “On Feb. 1, 2004, she turned 1. On Feb. 5 her babysitter left her in the car for 50 minutes. She was in ICU for two days with global brain damage. She died Feb. 7.” Bien became a ferocious activist for child
“I love bringing new programs to the community.”
safety. Her first endeavor was to get legislation passed in Hawaii in memory of Aslyn, with regard to leaving children in cars. She succeeded in getting the legislation to include an education component, a question on the driver’s license exam, a notice in all rental cars and a fine and parenting class for anyone charged with leaving a child in a car. Her next step was similar legislation in Arizona and then South Carolina. She is the vice president of Kids and Cars.org., one of the leading organizations to keep kids safe, she says. She is a contributor to national broadcast blended learning services on hyperthermia and a Red Cross blended learning contributor as well. See bien Page 13
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
Living a legacy of service A.M. Sheehan The Journal Scene
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n multiple boards, active in numerous organizations, volunteering weekly to read at two elementary schools, working out at the Y every morning and traveling to St. George and back for work, Margaret Bailey, 51, of Summerville is a very busy woman. Every day, except for Wednesday, she hops on the Tri-County Link bus to go to work in St. George as the Dorchester County Registrar of Deeds, an elected position she has held for three terms. Growing up in Summerville, she is simply following some very old and traditional footsteps. “My family has served the community ever since we got here in the 1600s.” She is a descendent of the Waring family, one of the first families to settle in the Village of Dorchester. Her great grandfather was the Chief Constable of Summerville. Her grandparents were with the WPA - Work Project Administra-
“Literacy is the foundation of everything…you can’t do much, you can’t succeed, if you can’t read.” tion - during WWII. The Bailey side, she says, were one of the driving forces behind Azaela Park. Her dad was on Town Council and was the town engineer. “I grew up in service,” she says. “My dad’s thing was ‘if you take from the community (education, trash pick-up, parks, whatever…) you need to give back with whatever time or talent you have.’” She is a living example of that mantra. She serves on the Kiwanis board; the Salvation Army Advisory Board for Dorchester County; is a former board member of the Francis R. Willis SPCA and a current member of the Endowment See BAILEY, Page 14
Judy Watts/Journal Scene
Margaret Bailey
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal SceneW
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Shirley McGreal
Saving primates her life’s work By Michael Quirk The Journal Scene
nternational Primate Protection League Founder Shirley McGreal has spent her life traveling the world, fighting off poachers and traders of primates. She’s traded that time for a more peaceful life in Summerville, while still saving the animals she loves. Her reserve on Primate Lane allows her to rescue gibbons, give them the medical attention they need and provide them with a loving home to retire to. “(Gibbons) are very nice to take care of. They’re very nice and pleasant and not as rough as chimps,” she said. “They even sing duets together and their songs are very nice.” Founded in 1973, the IPPL is celebrating its 40th anniversary. McGreal started it with friends from Thailand with little to nothing. Now they have over 15,000 newsletter members and make financial grants to primate groups worldwide. “We give grants of $5,000-$10,000 to a variety of little projects around the world led by gutsy people.”
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“We give grants of $5,000$10,000 to a variety of little projects around the world led by gutsy people.” Global and gutsy are words that also describe McGreal. Born in England, she found her way to Southeast Asia after college. She traveled throughout the area working to stop the smuggling, experiments and exportation of primates. While in Singapore she went undercover as an interested client of smuggled primates. Her findings became known in the Bangkok Post and later the Associated Press. In Thailand she worked with university students to gain information on the living conditions of the primates being exported. She told the prime minister who immediately banned the export of primates and many other mammals. McGreal worked with Indian Prime Minister See mCGREAL Page 14
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
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Paying it forward Taylor Griffith The Journal Scene
ome people don’t know how to say no, and while it can be considered a bad thing, Rachel Sheridan embraces it. “The word ‘no’ is not in my vocabulary,” she said with a laugh when confronted with the long list of clubs and charities she’s involved with. “It’s just how I was raised.” Sheridan, a 31-year-old Summerville native, divides her time between nine different organizations. Professionally, she works full time as the regional director at AllCare Living Services, Inc., all while running her own business, KenChelle Photography. But if two jobs aren’t enough, Sheridan also serves as the president of the Summerville Evening Rotary Club and the Kappa Alpha Theta Charleston Lowcountry Alumnae Chapter, the community service chair of the Junior Service League, the auction chair for Children in Crisis, and works on the Dancing with the ARK Stars committee, organizes events for the Alzheim-
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Rachel Sheridan
“I’m very willing to put others before myself.”
er’s Association, and serves the Girl Scouts locally as a travel volunteer. While that list would make some peoples’ heads spin, Sheridan doesn’t think anything of it. “I’ve always been really involved with community service. It’s nothing new,” she said. Sheridan’s community service experience goes way back; she was a “candy striper” hospital volunteer in high school and attended Wofford College on community service scholarships. For her, it all has to do with helping people. “I’m very willing to put others before myself.” Sheridan has planned on dedicating her life to helping others since childhood, when she aspired to grow up and become a vet. In college, she changed her mind and majored in psychology. She’s been working with AllCare, a provider of in-home care services, since 2008.
See sHERIDAN Page 14
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
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Kristi Fulcher
Champion for those without a voice Roger Lee The Journal Scene
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Judy Watts/Journal Scene
Kristi Fulcher helps those who can’t help themselves. “Kristi is not only my wife, she is also my hero,” Roland Fulcher said. “From the day I met her, she has been a tireless champion for those without a voice - children and animals. The way she puts so many others before herself has always impressed me.” The mother of three, or nine if you include the four dogs and two cats in their Summerville home, has a long history of community involvement particularly with causes that benefit children and animals. As a volunteer guardian ad litem for Dorchester County, these days Fulcher spends much of her time looking out for the wellbeing of children involved in abuse and/or neglect cases. “I meet with the children and attend meetings related to things such as their medical and psychological wellbeing and school,” Fulcher said. “I give my input as far as what I feel they need. As a volunteer in the program, you are the
“I give my input as far as what I feel they need. As a volunteer in the program, you are the voice for the child so the judge listens to your recommendations on what is in the child’s best interest.” voice for the child so the judge listens to your recommendations on what is in the child’s best interest.” The program currently has some 65 volunteers but could use more considering this month those volunteers worked on 92 open cases. Fulcher hasn’t been shy about volunteering for some of the more time-consuming cases. See fulcher Page 14
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
English Myers
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Propelled by a love for children A.M. Sheehan The Journal Scene
’ve seen a lot of things that most people have never seen…things that make you want to come home and hug your children,” says English Myers who has served as a pediatric critical care nurse for 19 years and a pediatric flight nurse for 13. Her job, she says, “makes you know the small things don’t really matter.” “I always loved kids,” she says, “ and in high school I worked with my aunt in fun preschool during the summer. I always knew I wanted to be a nurse and work with kids.” She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation - Parks, Recreation and Tourism. She went to work at the Medical University of South Carolina in child psychology then went back to MUSC nursing school to be an RN. “My grandmother had graduated from MUSC as a nurse.” However, when Myers graduated, MUSC
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Judy Watts/Journal Scene
“I always knew I wanted to be a nurse and work with kids.”
wasn’t hiring so she went to McLeod Hospital in Florence and worked there for a year or so. “I helped open a pediatric ICU.” “Then I started traveling,” she said. “It was huge for me…such an education.” The traveling she is referring to is travel nursing. It is a program that identifies where there is a shortage of nurses and that is where you get sent. The program covers your travel, living expenses and the hospital covers your salary. Myers was sent to Texas, Utah, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Alaska, Oregon and, finally, to South Carolina to Charleston Children’s where she decided to stay. As a flight nurse she worked 24-hour and 12-hour shifts as an employee of MUSC in Pediatric Meducare, which is the only dedicated pediatric flight medic unit in the state.
See myers Page 15
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Jenn Williams
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal SceneW
Faith over politics Roger Lee The Journal Scene
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Judy Watts/Journal Scene
enn Williams was on track to become a political big wig but she decided to follow a different path. Williams was an A student with a double major in political science and journalism who spent one summer as an intern on Capital Hill and another as an intern for the political website stateline.org. Those summers gave her a glimpse into both what a Washington insider could accomplish as well as what someone dedicated to scrutinizing Washington politics could achieve. As graduation neared she decided not to pursue a career involving either. “I discovered that the church is where I believe the most change can be made in the world,” Williams said. “You can do a lot of things that seem like they are really huge and go a lot of places that seem like that is where life really happens only to discover that real change and real life don’t happen there. Those things happen in our community and in our homes so that is where I
“I discovered that the church is where I believe the most change can be made in the world.” want to spend my time.” She entered the seminary and in 2004 an internship brought her to Summerville. It was there she and her husband, Clark, made their home a year later. Upon graduating from Duke Divinity School in 2006, she accepted a position with Bethany United Methodist Church. She arrived at a time when the church was experiencing a lot of growth. Officials soon determined the time was right to start a new church to help accommodate that growth and in 2009 Williams was chosen to plant Ashley Ridge Church in the East Edisto community. As the pastor for the new church, she continues her mission to make the world a better place. “Pastor Williams is changing what worship
See williams Page 15
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
Pizarro from page 3
adopted into her professional endeavors. “I never really turn anybody down [as a client] if they don’t have any money. I tell my clients that if you invest in your case, I will invest in you.” The mentality has fueled her community involvements, too. “My story is one of hard work and determination. If you make the decision that you won’t be deterred, then you will make it,” she said. “People ask me all the time ‘how do you do it?’… I don’t know, I just do stuff.” For the self-described multitasker, that “stuff” includes being an active parent in her children’s schools, working on the YEScarolina board of directors and as a mentor with the program, serving on the Columbia College board of visitors, and learning to dance for The
Shelbourne from page 4
sity. “She is welcoming and has a real gift of hospitality,” said Pam, Linda’s daughter-in-law. “She brings a lot of tourists into Summerville. She brings people from Charleston and is a big draw on the Sweet Tea Tour.” Shelbourne has a strong faith, praying for guests and with them. There are devotions each morning at the house. She said it is a good way to relate to guests she is meeting for the first time. “Christians are always looking for Jesus in another person. No matter your ethnic background, social rank or whatever, we’re all brothers and sisters of one father.” Another important part of the experience at Linwood is communication between guests. Shelbourne said they like to create rooms with lots of seating facing a center point to allow for lots of communication. “People want relationships and we work on an environment where they can do that,” she said. “Hearing our guests interacting at the breakfast table or out in the gardens, that’s one of
ARK’s Dancing with the ARK Stars last year, to name a few. She said her involvements all come down to the reason we’re here: “Our purpose in life is to help someone else.” And yet, despite all of her professional, personal and philanthropic accomplishments, Pizarro says she still wants more. “I am happy where I am, I see where I could be, but I am by no means satisfied.” What does satisfy Pizarro? Dreaming. She spoke with a smile of her goal to improve Pizarro Law Firm by taking on more complicated cases, her hope to write a book about her life, and her dream of one day sharing her unbreakable spirit with others by becoming a motivational speaker. “My world view is that there’s more of a difference that I can make,” she said. I don’t know what that is yet, but I know I’m poised to make that happen whenever it comes along.” our favorite things and that’s why people go.” The gardens are world-renowned and were the products of students from the University of Georgia and University South Carolina along with the Shelbournes and their friends. They extend from the front driveway at the old horse stable around the cottages to the “secret garden.” In the expected fashion from a mother, she claims she doesn’t have a favorite. She said they are all soothing. “That root word ‘host’ is in hospital, hospice, and so on. It’s about people getting better. Here we are creating a place for people to get better.” Her son Brandt talked about her large numbers of repeat visitors. One couple in particular from Glasgow, Scotland visits for weeks at a time every year. They have a specific room request each trip, the Barn, one of the quaint, back cottages. Both speak to Linda and Peter like old friends, because they are. That is how it feels when you meet Linda, she welcomes you to into their home and you experience why people don’t just come to see the gardens but to see Linda too. “We’re addicted to our guests, we have hearts for hospitality,” she said. “Hospitality in the deepest and broadest sense of the word, that’s what it’s about and what we’re all about.”
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Martin from page 5
need to stand up for it.” The conversation is electric and we’re quickly jutting from one topic to another, as if we’ve been friends for years. She’s silenced for the first time all afternoon, though, when I ask what she hopes for her grandsons and their futures. “That they love the Lord… that they’re kind to each other… and to never give up,” she said finally. “Gigi and Granddaddy will always be here for them.” Almost as quickly as children are brought up, Martin’s love for music also makes its way into the conversation. If children are Martin’s first passion, then music is clearly her second. Despite being raised by parents with no musical talent, Martin said she and her twin sister would harmonize naturally while they did the dishes as children. “Music is food for your soul,” she said. Her love for singing only grew as Martin got older. She has performed in several Flowertown Players musicals and helps judge vocal competitions at Rollings Middle School of the Arts. “She has the most beautiful voice,” said Marlena Myers, the former mayor’s wife and one of Martin’s close friends. “She sang at my wedding.” Most of her musical activities are through her church, though. Martin and her husband have been members of
Bien from page 6
She has given national interviews, been in USA Today and on talk shows. “It’s my biggest passion,” she says. Bien also does a lot of work with Post Partum Support in Charleston including the annual Mom’s Run just before Mother’s Day. She is, she says, the chair of Safe Kids for the Trident area and champions bike helmets, spot the tot, poison prevention, ATV safety and drowning prevention. She works for the March of Dimes, organizes local events such as Race for the Cure and does a lot of fundraising for the American Heart Association. She organizes the Angels of Ours evening, an annual event during the holidays for parents who have gone through fetal loss, she explains, held in the Doty Park Depot building. During the workday, she is the director of Women and Children for Trident Health Services overseeing all services for women and children. She is, she says, responsible for the new pediatric inpatient and ER at Summerville Medical Center and developed the maternal fetal medicine program - an online program for high
Summerville Baptist Church for more than 20 years. She works with the church’s JOY Singers and has never missed performing in its Lowcountry Singing Christmas Tree for the 23 years it’s been in existence. Church is very important to the Martins; after all, they met through their church when growing up in Rock Hill. After five years of dating throughout high school and college, the couple married when Jan was 19 years old. This year they are celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary. “So many people say those are the best days of your life, when you’re young, but I don’t think that’s true. Jimmy was in medical school, worked part time painting houses and had another job with the ports authority. Meanwhile I taught, nannied, and worked in a daycare,” she said. “We did every step on our own. It makes you appreciate so many things.” Her husband is a frequent character in the conversation, but then again, so is everyone else Martin knows. In the hour we talked she mentioned more people than I could keep track of. Martin’s selflessness and community-minded spirit are the defining characteristics of her personality, followed closely by her outgoing nature and warm heart. She spoke of her husband with love, of her friends with admiration and of her many groups with a smile. The only person in town she didn’t talk lengthily about was herself. But as our chat came to an end, one of those rare moments surfaced. “I’ve never made headlines, but I do believe I make a difference. People who are positive, who make other people feel valued… those people are sometimes just as important as the headliners.” risk pregnancies that connects pregnant women with specialists from around the country. She began the OB Hospitalist at SMC, which provides someone in-house 24/7. She earned an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Amarillo College and one in law from Kaplan before graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BSN from Kaplan. Last August she married Jesse Bien, a Life Safety instructor at the Charleston base. She has a son, Dusty Mansfield, 27, who works with the Texas Department of Transportation; two step-daughters - Mackenzie, 11 and Kelseigh, 16 - two step sons - Jeremey Ryan, 27 and Michael Ryan, 21. In her spare time she makes crafts and runs an online craft store. She says it is a stress reliever. She also teaches Zumba at the hospital. She is planning to go back to school in January for her Master’s in nursing through Kaplan. After coming to the lowcountry to work at SMC, she “fell in love with the area. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.” “I love the administrative team at SMC and Trident,” she adds, “it’s a lovely community and I have a happy life living here.” “I love bringing new programs to the community. I think as a nurse and director I can strive to do more to help the community, help people.”
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Bailey From Page 7 Board; a member of the Trident Technical College Medical Assisting Advisory Board; a team captain for the Upper Dorchester County Relay for Life (and has been invited to join its steering committee); secretary for the Episcopal Church Women; past president, past vice-president and member of the Summerville Republican Women’s Club and a committeeman for the Dorchester County Republican Party. A graduate of SHS and magna cum laude from Trident Technical College as a paralegal/ legal assistant, Bailey worked for the town from 1984 to 1997 as a dispatcher, reserve police officer and EMT Paramedic. She has also served as a SLED TAC Officer and NCIC instructor. She has volunteered for Lowcountry Aids Services, Crisis Ministries and various other nonprofits. She married Lynn Shelton, Jr., nine years ago. She has a son, Marc Bailey, 32, who is a Summerville Police Officer. She is stepmom from a previous marriage, to Victoria Hunt, 26, who is, she says, “the daughter of my heart.” She has two “grandkids,” she says, Victoria’s children Trevor, 3 and Hannah, 7. In 1999, she went to work for the probate court under Judge Tiffany Provence, where she worked as a paralegal and clerk. When the Registrar of Deeds was retiring, Judge Provence urged her to run. “She told me ‘you would be very good at it’
Sheridan From Page 9 She said that while the helping element of the job wasn’t what initially attracted her to the company, it’s what’s made her stay. “I’ve always known I want to do something with helping others. I love helping the families through the difficult times, so they know they’re not alone, she said. “On multiple levels, we’ve [the employees] all had something make a connection for us.” For Sheridan, that connection dates back to 2007, when her fiancé Brandon Thompson died fighting the fire at the Sofa Super Store in Charleston. The accident happened just four months before their wedding was scheduled. Glimpses of Sheridan’s love for Thompson can be seen throughout her life, particularly in her running and her photography business. “The last Christmas present I ever got from Brandon was a professional camera,” she said. She named her business after their relationship, blending his and her middle name to create “KenChelle.”
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene and I had some background because my dad was a surveyor and I used to file plats for him,” she says. “So I ran and I won!” At work, she is slowly but surely putting all the archives into digital, searchable format. An arduous task at best. “My goal is to bring all the records to electronic format,” she says. “It is a slow process but we are getting there.” “I seem to be well suited to the job,” she laughs. In addition to all of this, she also heads up the Emergency Management Department – EMD – call-center. She is the chairman of the Forfeited Land committee that determines what the county will do with land forfeited for back taxes. “We try to keep people in their homes, if we can,” she says. She is a member of the Elks Club and has served on the Palmetto House board. In her spare time, she enjoys cross stitching, reading, cross word puzzles and is a proud fan of SHS football, the Clemson Tigers and the New Orleans Saints. Every Wednesday, what she calls her Summerville day, she goes to Flowertown Elementary or Newington Elementary to read. She is the Kiwanis Terrific Kids Volunteer Reading Program chair. “Reading is so important,” she says. “Literacy is the foundation of everything…you can’t do much, you can’t succeed, if you can’t read. It is the favorite of all my programs, I would do it on my own.” “I am from a family that finds education invaluable…I don’t have the temperament to be a teacher so I contribute another way.”
McGreal From Page 8 Morarji Desai to ban the export of monkeys from the country. This was after The Times of India ran an editorial based off the press releases from McGreal calling for the ban on primate exports. After Indira Gandhi replaced Desai in office, she agreed to uphold the ban. After the ban in India, Bangladesh followed suit. Labs were performing radiation experiments on monkeys by putting them on treadmills, irradiating them and putting them back on the treadmills. The animals were collapsing on the machines and vomiting. The company had a contract with an American business to export 70,000 monkeys to the U.S. The Bangladesh government threw the U.S. company out of the country. McGreal is still saving primates to this day, along with Asian short-clawed otters, but in a domestic setting in Summerville. The IPPL houses 37 gibbons that were rescued from zoos and sanctuaries that did not want them anymore and in some cases were going to euthanize them. Gibbons’ caring nature appeals to McGreal. “They’re monogamous, pair-bonded animals who don’t fight because they’re about the same size. Males even help with the babies,” she said.
Fulcher From Page 10
When she has a spare moment, Sheridan is out running, a pastime she also attributes to Thompson. “Running is a way to have peace,” she said. “It’s a way to reflect, and a way to continue honoring not just Brandon, but all of the firefighters who died.” This November Sheridan will run the ING New York City Marathon for the Leary Firefighters Foundation, just one way she is “paying it forward” to the firefighting community. But as much as she loves to travel, Sheridan enjoys staying in the Lowcountry and giving back at home. “There’s such a need everywhere, but there’s as much of a need here as there is anywhere else.” Her workload would start to weigh on an average person, but Sheridan is on the rise, seeking out new ways to make a larger community impact. “I’d like to find a way to continue on a bigger scale, but figuring out exactly which area to focus on hasn’t happened yet,” she said. But when she does decide where to make her mark, it can be expected she’ll do it quietly, behind the scenes: “There’s enough warm and fuzzy when I do something that I don’t feel like I need recognition.”
Her work with the program has meant trips to Florence and Myrtle Beach as well as to Columbia for extra training. It has also entailed a bit of frustration as sometimes it falls on a volunteer to figure out ways around “road blocks” to putting a child in the best possible situation. “Sometimes I want to pull my hair out but then my husband will remind me that everything doesn’t have to be fixed at once,” Fulcher said. “I can work on one little victory at a time and then move on to the next problem. People can be afraid to buck the system, but as volunteers we are supposed to focus on the best interest of the kids, not the interest of the parents or DSS or the school or anything else. We are there for the kid and nothing else.” Helping children is something that has been important to Fulcher for some time. When she was in her 20’s, she passed on opportunities to go out with her friends so she could volunteer as a Big Brother/Big Sister mentor. After marriage, she and her husband became licensed foster care parents and provided a loving home to two children until they could be reunited with their families. “Three years ago, Kristi convinced me we should foster an entire family,” her husband said. “We went from being a family of five to a family of 12 overnight.”
“They live high in the treetops in the wild and are always swinging. They’re wonderful to watch.” She knows every ape on the property’s name and one of her favorites is Glenda, a smaller than average gibbon with a fixation for affection. “She’s the only one that I stick my arm inside to pet,” she said after Glenda came running when she heard McGreal’s voice. “She’s very lovely and loves to have her back scratched.” In 2008 she traveled to Buckingham Palace in her native country to receive her Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth. She remains in continued contact with Prince Philip and he congratulated the IPPL for their latest anniversary in a letter. “It would be difficult to over-estimate the cumulative value of the work undertaken by IPPL over the last 40 years, and the sheer dedication of Dr McGreal,” the letter read. “IPPL is a shining example of what can be achieved by persistent effort, accurate intelligence, and fearless intervention.” Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and renowned chimpanzee expert, also reached out to McGreal and the IPPL on the anniversary. “For 40 years you have struggled to improve the lives of countless primates and have truly made a difference in their lives.” Due to the effort and care put forth by McGreal, the otters have a place to swim, the overseas advocates have a reason to hope, and the trees have songs thanks to a group of happy gibbons. With the help of their Sunday School Class at Bethany United Methodist Church, the Fulchers provided a home to the family until they could get established in a new rental home of their own. Over the past 16 years, the couple has also fostered more than 30 dogs and a dozen cats. She admits she isn’t the most patient person, but when it comes to finding a home for the animals she fosters she takes her time to ensure the animals find the right fit. “We’ve done a lot of animal rescues, fostering everything from dogs to birds,” she said. “The slitheriest things we’ve had are a pair of ferrets, which I loved. We had them for a year and a half. We’ve also failed “Fostering 101” many times and the animals end up living with us permanently. But all the animals we placed went to a home that was a good match for them.” The mother has also given countless volunteer hours to her children’s schools and her church. She has served as a Wednesday evening youth group leader and on the Board of Directors for the Bethany Pre-school. She served on the Summerville Elementary School PTA Board, culminating her service with a term as president. Along with Jodie Collier, she oversaw the design and construction of the engraved brick walkway honoring Dr. Eugene Sires in the learning garden at SES. She was also among the volunteers who one year spearheaded a mission to ensure every kindergarten student at SES reached their reading goal for the year so that even kids who were not receiving encouragement to read at home could attend a year-end party.
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene
Myers From Page 11
However, her work world came crashing down a few weeks ago. Myers had a septic elbow and had to have surgery on it. Although her recovery has been ongoing, she can no longer lift the heavy weight of the equipment as required by a flight nurse. The job was challenging and stressful - both physically and emotionally - but she loved it. Taking a deep breath, she smiles, and says “I love teaching and working with families…I would like to go into teaching. At the moment,
Williams From Page 12
of Christ looks like and by doing that she is changing this community,” said Keisha Brown, who nominated Williams as a Woman to Watch. “Our family is blessed to know her and it warms my heart to know that the young generation of our church and community have her as their role model.” Ever since the church opened it has held its Sunday services at Ashley Ridge High School. A school and a church working together in that manner in this day and age is unusual but Williams says the partnership was great right from the start. “It has been a gift for us to be in the school,” she said. “As a pastor you tell people all the time the church is not the building but rather the group of people who get together to worship and show they care about each other. When you
she is pursuing substitute nursing at the elementary school level and looking for teaching opportunities. The mother of two sons - Jahnz, 8 and Barnwell, 7 - she has had firsthand experience with juvenile diabetes. Her son’s best friend was diagnosed and she realized how little parents know about the disease. It is one of the areas she would like to teach in. In her spare time she is active in the Summerville Elementary School PTA, was vicepresident for two years and is chair of various committees. She has served the Summerville Cotillion on the board for six years, was active in the Junior Service League for six years and is now a
sustaining member. She has volunteered with the annual Kitchen Tour for the Dorchester Children’s Center, Bethany United Methodist Church, a volunteer nurse for its Vacation Bible School and at its annual Tea Room. She served on the board of the St. Paul’s Learning Center when her children were there and is parent liaison for the SES School Improvement Council. She is dedicated to fundraising and has taught her boys the joys of helping others through fundraising. The boys have worked raising money for Chase for the Cure with the YMCA where they were among the 31 children who raised $12,000 through lemonade and Popsicle sales. “I am teaching them community service,” she said. Another focus with her sons is fundraising
for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. When not serving the school or community, Myers enjoys cooking, going to the beach, fishing and boating with her family and simply playing with the kids. “I have a wonderful husband - Randy Myers - with a heart of gold. He is very supportive of everything I do. I have projects going all the time,” she laughs, “ and he will say ‘okay, what are we doing?’” He pitches right in and helps her. Her goals are simple. Professionally she just wants to do something to help educate parents, especially new parents. And at home? To support her children in school, teach them to give back and to have fun making childhood memories for them.
don’t have a building of your own that’s a lot easier for you to say and easier for them to believe. Also, when we set out to plant the church in that community we knew the growth was headed toward where the high school was being built and in fact it was the only infrastructure out there.” The partnership has been symbiotic; under Williams’ leadership the church has founded programs that have benefitted both students and teachers at the high school. Naturally, a congregation that meets in a school has grown to include several students and teachers but the benefits for those groups haven’t stopped with worship opportunities. Along with ARHS guidance counselor Marci Newman, Williams established the Fox Food Center that provides meals to students from low-income families. Members of the church provide donations and the Fox Food Center provides ways students can pick up the food inconspicuously. The program has grown over the past few years and now in addition to the
food pantry also provides services such as gift cards that ensure students have food during the summer. The church’s Change for a Dollar program encourages church members to each bring a dollar every Sunday. Those funds are then used for a wide range of projects. The church accepts requests from those in need and picks a different cause to support each week. Programs Williams helped found are not only helping people in the Summerville community, they are also helping people in other countries. The church sponsors a school, substance farm that helps feed a community and orphanage that is the home to 12 children in war-torn Rwanda. “It’s neat we are able to feed kids both right here in our neighborhood and those halfway around the world...it’s fun for us as a church that doesn’t have a building of its own yet, to be able to fund the construction of buildings on the other side of the world that are doing great work,” Williams said. “ Of course, I can’t take credit for any of this. I have an amazing group of
people who come up with these amazing ideas the church gets to be a part of.” The ideas may not have all been hers but Williams did approve them all and plays a major role in implementing them. As if doing so combined with leading a congregation weren’t enough, Williams is also overseeing the project to construct a permanent home for Ashley Ridge Church; she occasionally runs half marathons; and she is the mother of two. Fittingly, her church helps her manage all that without being overwhelmed. “We live in a world that is so fragmented and everyone is running around doing their own stuff and life is so busy we can all end up isolated and frustrated,” she said. “In planning this new church the idea was let’s strip away all the stuff. Let’s be very simple and worship. We want to be a place for people to come to make sense of it all, a place where every week they can take a deep breath and remember who God is, remember who we are and remember we are not alone.”
The Tradition Continues.... October 21, 2009
Welcome to the family 2013 Women to Watch!
OCTOBER 20, 2010
A Special Publication of
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • The Summerville Journal Scene