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I'm a third generation Floridian from Jacksonville who absolutely adores DeLand! I received a B.A. from Stetson University (DeLand) in 1967 and a Master's Degree from Francis Marion University in Florence South Carolina where my husband taught.
During my almost 30 years as a South Carolina educator I established two educational institutions, the Marion County Museum and the Fork Retch Environmental Education Center. While a museum director I also directed the South Carolina Rural Arts Program for Marion County.
For the above endeavors I received local, state, and national recognition including the South Carolina State Archives Award for "Adaptive Restoration of an Historic Facility" (an 1886 schoolhouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the longest operating public school in South Carolina), the 1993 National Environmental Women of Action Award for South Carolina, and the 1995 South Carolina Wildlife Federation Education Conservationist Award. Due to my environmental work I was in two national film documentaries, "Conserving America: The Rivers" for efforts to preserve the Little Pee Dee River and "When A Tree Falls" for halting a highway through wetlands. For those activities I was interviewed in the July 1995 issue of Southern Living.
Since returning to DeLand in 1999 I established two businesses: West Volusia Properties and FloridaWild Veterinary Hospital. In 2005 I received the "Faith, Hope, and Charity Teresa and Bob Apgar Community Service Award" and in 2006 I was honored with three state awards: The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation "Individual Achievement Award;" The Florida MainStreet "Outstanding Economic Restructuring Program" for MainStreet DeLand Association; and The Florida League of Cities
"City Citizen of the Year" Award. To learn more
about my dedication to DeLand read The
DeLand Beacon 2005.
 I've written for St. Augustine and DeLand newspapers, and various magazines, and placed second in two national writing contests. In 1999 Tailored Tours Publications published my first book Flavors of St. Augustine: An Historic Cookbook. My second book, Images of America: St. Augustine, was published in 2002 by Arcadia Publishing. My third and fourth, Images of America: DeLand (2003) and The College Series: Stetson University (2005) were also published by Arcadia Press. My fifth book, AFFIRMED: Teachers as Citizens (2006), addresses the rights of teachers to express without fear of retaliation their opinions on matters of public concern. Hall vs. Marion County School District II is case law protecting the rights of all public employees in the United States.
As far as real estate goes, I do my best for everyone whether my customers are listing or buying mobile homes or multi-million dollar properties. All people and properties are equal to me and receive the same treatment--THE BEST! I consistently earn TOP PRODUCER and in 2005 was THE Top Producer of 1,200 realtors on our board. I also was the Top Producer for both commercial and vacant land that banner year!
As someone who revers old structures, my passion for preservation led me to restore more than a dozen properties in South Carolina and Florida. While living in St. Augustine and selling real estate I worked extensively with historic properties. After moving back to DeLand in 1999 I initiated a downtown residential revitalization project in a depressed area of architecturally interesting buildings. Named "The Garden District," this project was featured in the April 2004 issue of Southern Living. After purchasing five buildings in the Garden District, one our real estate office, I have spent my real estate commission in restoring the others; three of which are my daughter's veterinary hospital, FloridaWild. So to all who have bought and sold properties through West Volusia Properties, a hearty THANK YOU for contributing to daughter Erin's dream!
Community involvement is of utmost importance to me. I sat on the City of DeLand's Code Enforcement Board for 6 years and was a member of DeLand's Strategic Planning Committee. At present I serve DeLand's Tree Advisory Committee, the West Volusia Historical Society Board, chair MainStreet DeLand's Design Committee, and am President of the West Volusia Pen Women, an affiliate of the national organization of artists and writers.
My husband, Ron, and I met while students at Stetson. After a 33 year absence from DeLand, we returned to our first home together where Ron now Chairs the Philosophy Department at Stetson University. Our family includes two daughters, Amy and Erin, and their husbands, Roger and Justin, six grandchildren, Zac, Nash, Gabe (left), Bereket, Emma, and Henry, four dogs, Beowulf, Addie, Badger, and Penny, and numerous grand animals! The richest experience to date, besides having our first four precious grandchildren, is to be the proud grandparents of two Ethiopian orphans, Bereket and Henry, as each of our daughters adopted a child. This has created for all of us a broadened view of love, life, and the world.
If you're looking for someone who creates success all over the place and can get the job done quickly and efficiently, call ME! I'll help you make the best possible real estate choices whether you're looking for residential--old or new, commercial, or vacant land. TOGETHER - WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN! |
