Darien mama Ann Mason drew our attention with her stories of the adventures of her two "marshmaids," Mason and Danner. The trio seem to be having a terrific time on their homeschool journey together! We're so glad Ann agreed to answer our questions.

Tell us about your children.
My girls are fun to be around and funny. They are hard-working and get focused on and excited about whatever they’re doing in the moment. I have always loved that about them. They are helpful and kind, and are so much braver and more confident than I have ever been. They often have me feeling awestruck and awkward in comparison. I credit their homeschooling experiences thus far with so much of this, as they have been encouraged to blossom in their own ways as they grow and learn.

Aurora Pope, who was recently granted full tenure as an art professor at the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA), never planned on a career in teaching. “I got my undergraduate degree in anthropology,” said Aurora, who moved to the Golden Isles from Tennessee in 2015 when her husband, Brian, was offered a professorship in psychology at CCGA.

However, during her senior year at the University of Georgia, her Plan A took a turn. “I had to participate in an excavation. We found human remains, and I freaked out!” said Aurora, laughing. “I thought then, ‘maybe anthropology isn’t the thing for me!”

Brunswick High School English teacher Jackie Archer’s first attempt at retirement didn’t work out, and she couldn’t be happier about it.

“I taught for 10 years in North Carolina, Savannah and South Effingham County. I retired, but it turned out I just needed a 10-year break,” she said, smiling. “I ended up working for a non-profit, and I realized I really was meant to be a teacher!”

But her road to becoming a teacher didn’t follow the traditional route. “I had always naturally gravitated toward teaching, but I wasn’t ready for college when I graduated high school, so I went to tech school, married and had two kids (her now grown sons Robert and Stephen).” Jackie eventually decided she really did want to teach and enrolled at Georgia Southern University, where she went on to earn a degree in theatre, before getting additional training and earning her teaching certification in English.

Cool art vibes saturate the air in every form and medium in Coastal Georgia, one of the most beautiful natural canvases on earth. With all the surrounding beauty, it’s no wonder Coastal Georgia is teeming with creative, talented artists. Some do it for fun. Some do it for a living. All do it to nourish their organic need to create.

How did you discover your talent?
After retiring, I had plenty of time on my hands. During Covid, I needed something to do while in isolation. I got the idea for the wreaths from my oldest daughter, who is a quilter. The fabric wreaths are a great way to use up leftover material. I also make “fits” to give at Kwanzaa. That started when I read the December 2021 Hissy Fit in Paisley. It inspired me to make these little creatures from yarn that one can throw when the need hits to throw a fit.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve ever received in pursuing your artistic talents?
Keep doing what you do. Never give up! If you fail today, try again tomorrow.

How did you discover your talent?
Mother and I were involved in fundraising in my early years in San Diego. She had us in an organization called M.A.D.C.A.P.S. It was instilled in me early on that giving to the world is the most perfect form of God’s love. When we leave this world, no one will remember us for our possessions, rather the moments of shared time and health in gifting to one another. Everyone is born with a purpose. Mine was to learn from my mother and father’s sacrifices for me. They gave everything of themselves. Philanthropic work and the creative expressions of art and music are the greatest accomplishments closest to the Spiritual calling. That’s why I was so honored to be asked by the Doves of Hospice of the Golden Isles to donate a large painting to be featured in a silent auction at Musgrove Plantation. The sale of that painting for $5000, combined with the honor of being asked to donate, gave me a foothold and the confidence to pursue painting again in a new community.

How did you discover your talent?
In 2016 I was faced with the death of my sister who died from cancer, and 40 days later my brother died of a heart attack on what would have been her birthday. I was overtaken by grief and sorrow. I needed an outlet to transmute this grief. I met a beautiful lady at this time, and she was an amazing artist. We talked about art, and when she showed me her work, I was impressed by what she created. She was so enthusiastic and happy. I knew I needed this change in my life. I decided I was going to give it a try, and I did, and the rest is my-story.

How do you get your “creative juices” flowing?
Meditation and Hypnosis have been a part of my creative journey and has allowed the creative power to flow through me. Sometimes in my meditations, I see images to paint; I love being inspired like this. Other times, I may paint a background and let it sit for a while, placing the painting in a spot where I see it as I pass by my studio. Then, one day, I see in my mind the next step as I align with spirit.

How did you discover your talent? 
I had planned to be an artist until I married a very talented artist, who convinced me that my talent lay in writing. I loved telling made-up stories to our four young children, which convinced my husband I could write children’s books and he could illustrate them. We were successful at selling illustrated stories, poems and articles to children’s magazines such as Jack and Jill, Children’s Playmate, and other national and regional publications. I wrote a book in verse that featured a little boy who wanted a menagerie of exotic stuffed animals to replace his old teddy bear. The illustrations my husband did were fantastic, but we never sold the book. From there I moved on to write adult poetry and later became a journalist, writing for newspapers and magazines. I worked as a reporter and later, an editor, for the Atlanta Journal Constitution until I retired in 2006. I have since written three non-fiction books, all published by the University of Georgia Press. The most recent, Following the Tabby Trail, just came out in June.

When did you discover your talent?
As long as I can remember, I have been an artist. I enjoyed drawing my ventures in crayon early on. Before I was school age, I would sculpt little animals out of marsh mud and hide them around the house for my family to discover. I have always enjoyed telling my story through my creations.

How do you get your “creative juices” flowing?
I feel the most creative after spending time outdoors. A walk along the edge of the marsh is my favorite. There’s always something in nature to inspire me. Visiting art galleries and artisan shops makes me want to try something new. My fellow artist/potter friends are an endless source of creative ideas and challenges.

You split your time between Brunswick and New Mexico. Why New Mexico?
My first trip here was in 1993, on a summer vacation with my young children and my travel friend Sister Andrea, a Catholic nun. Our first impressions were immediately positive: The landscape was outstanding and so was the wonderful food. We all fell in love immediately with sopaipillas served with honey, and the rice, beans and guacamole chicken enchiladas that are so delicious.

Our first stop was in Albuquerque, where we saw hot air balloons being inflated in the field outside our hotel, and where a mariachi band serenaded our table at dinner.
In Santa Fe, we found a children’s museum with wonderful interactive activities, including a rock climbing wall; and the art-tastic Canyon Road, where galleries are so numerous it takes more than a day to thoroughly see them all. Never had we viewed such brilliantly colored art, such exquisite Native jewelry and pottery, or such perfectly crafted statues!

On this first trip, we made friends, including the well-known Taos Pueblo painter and author Jonathan Warm Day and his girls. For years, we visited nearly every summer, enjoying the unique experiences that New Mexico offers in terms of art, food, hiking, people, and weather. Have I mentioned how incredibly blue the sky is?

For Tasha Williams and her family, finding and pursuing adventures is just a part of everyday life.

The family’s business, Turtle Tide Outfitters, offers families and groups kayak rentals and tours, as well as standup paddleboarding (SUP) rentals and instruction, along with surfing lessons and rentals on St. Simons and Jekyll islands. “There are so many great places to launch on Jekyll and St. Simons,” said Tasha, who also mentions that she really enjoys taking clients to Shark Tooth Beach on Jekyll. “We’ve done thousands of tours and they are all different. With kayaking, you can go out with no experience. We provide the instructions and make sure everyone is safe—we really stress how to stay safe on the water and go over safety. We take anyone out, from novice to expert. Now SUP is a totally different story,” she said, laughing. “That requires balance and a strong core.”

When retired educator Regina Johnson first became a mother in 1983, she said she soon made a discovery about what many refer to as balancing both a career and family.

“There’s no such thing as ‘balance.’ That’s just something in books and magazines. It really does take a village,” she said of successfully having a career and raising a family. “I had Larry Johnson, the number one love of my life and wonderful father by my side. I also had other family, the schools, church community and friends—all those helping hands. Together, with the help of her “village,” she and Larry, who passed away in 2015 after years of a happy marriage, raised three sons and a daughter—eldest son Creighton, followed by son and now Brunswick Mayor Cosby two years later, then, 15 years later, son James, then daughter Gabby.

Tell us about your children.
I have four children ranging from 19-months old to 13 years old! My 13-year-old, Emma, is a lover of all God’s creatures. She is active in church, youth group, soccer, softball, cross-country and most recently has volunteered her time for the local Penguin Project, which is a play put on by our area’s children with disabilities. She is in love with helping these children and always feels fulfilled and accomplished afterwards.  

My 11-year-old is my “bonus” daughter, Cayleigh. She loves her cats, friends and spending time with her family. She is active in band as a tuba player and plays softball. Cayleigh also likes to volunteer her time with our church on Sunday mornings in the children’s area.

Cole is 10, and he is my wild man! He is interested and active in anything that involves a ball! He loves to play baseball and can’t seem to get enough of it. Cole is the most social butterfly you will ever see and never meets a stranger, which can be scary at times.

Lainey is 19-months old and is the caboose of the family! She is easily the most laid-back child I have ever been around and just goes with the flow. Being that we are always on the move, she takes it all in stride and makes it an adventure. Lainey, being the youngest, never wants for anything because her brother and sisters are always at the ready, and I would say she is SPOILED ROTTEN! (If there is such a thing!)

How did House of DOLLS Foundation get its name? My original name of choice was Pampered Princess, but the LLC was already taken. I didn’t really have a second name picked out, so I asked my husband. He suggested to include the name Dolls in it, so we put our heads together, along with my mom, and came up with the House of Dolls. I didn’t understand the deeper meaning of dolls until God revealed it all to me: DOLLS is not a word, it is an acronym for “Destined Ordained Little Ladies for Success” for the younger generation and “Determined Ordained Leading Ladies of Success” for adult ladies. The House of DOLLS Foundation is to create, encourage and motivate young ladies to become DOLLS in every aspect of life.

Gardener and jewelry artist Sandy Anderson was a single mother, working full-time as a county extension agent while raising her daughter Amy, and then part-time for Emory University, before retiring to St. Simons Island in 2010.

The precision and organization required to pull that off is evident in her home and garden, as is her favorite color: blue. Sandy’s favorite plants include “Indigo Princess agapanthus, blue hydrangeas, plumbago, Blew-My-Mind and Tractor Seat plant.”

After we toured her small, but impeccably laid out garden, photographer Mike Force and I enjoyed a quick glass-blowing demonstration in Sandy’s home glass studio. She’s been making glass bead jewelry for twenty years, since Amy went off to college, and loves the challenge of always learning new techniques.

Growing up in Snellville, Georgia, Kaylan Collins loved the ocean.You read that right. A girl from a town hundreds of miles from the coast was fascinated by the sea.

Her dad Mike is a big reason for that. He grew up in Florida and loves to fish and get out on the ocean, so the family (including mom Sue Ellen and twin brother Kyler) spent most vacations fishing in Florida. Kaylan quickly learned she is prone to seasickness, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her!
When they weren’t on the water, the Collins family was still out in nature. “A big part of my childhood growing up involved camping at numerous state parks in the family camper,” Kaylan said. “We would go to Vogel State Park, Cloudland Canyon, Jekyll, Black Top Mountain, Duckett Mill, [all in Georgia] and Topsail Hill [Florida]… the list goes on! These experiences outdoors developed my love for being outside and my desire to find work in a related field as my career. Going fishing with my dad in the Gulf, on Lake Lanier, or at a park’s pond was what solidified my passion for working around the water and with its resources.”

Val Burnett can often be found outdoors. Whether riding her bike, hiking or paddling her kayak, she will more than likely be bird watching, too.

“Everything goes hand in hand,” said Val, laughing. “I try to expand my interests, but birding is so integrated in our family. I’ve bought the little ones (her grandchildren) binoculars so they can be a part of it too. We get to see nature at its most beautiful, its most peaceful.”

Val’s journey to becoming an avid birder began with another passionate pastime—photography. “I really started birding about 10 years ago, and it started because I really like to take pictures,” she said, adding that birds were among her favorite photography subjects. “I started using my photos to help identify birds and was hooked.” It also helped that Dan and D.C. Coleman, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, were longtime, serious birders. “I just followed them around and learned from them,” she said, with a laugh. She also studied birding guides and uses Merlin, an app that helps birders identify birds by sight and sound. “It isn’t always 100 percent accurate, but it’s close. I’m really working on identifying smaller birds,” Val said. She also said those interested in birding should join an Audubon Society chapter and purchase and study birding books, “especially local birding books to learn what birds can be found in your area. Getting a national birding book can be overwhelming and confusing. I like to study local books and birding books from an area I’m planning to take a birding trip. I like to find lists from foreign countries before I go and quiz myself.”

Have you always had a green thumb?
Yes! I think I got it from my grandmother on my dad’s side. She lived in a small house in Johnson City, TN (which is where I grew up), and I remember it just being filled with houseplants. My favorite picture of her is at Easter, standing in her front yard, which was a perfect little English cottage garden.

What brought you to St. Simons Island?
My husband was offered a position at FLETC, and we knew we would retire here. We moved here in 2010. We looked at many neighborhoods, but when we drove through the gates into Stillwater, we knew it was where we wanted to be. And it is the perfect spot for walking the dogs—one big circle that is 1.3 miles around.

What is your favorite thing about working with plants?
The simplicity—water, light and some food now and then…and they will reward you with new growth and life.

When and why did you start teaching?
I started August 19, 1985 at Ballard Elementary, and I have many reasons for choosing to be a teacher:
• I have always worked with children through the church… It was a natural fit.
• I chose to teach elementary school because of the wonder in the children’s eyes and facial expressions as they learn something new… they are so engaging and so honest. They question everything, and I love how their minds are constantly thinking and connecting the dots of what and how they learn to their real worlds. They want to know how they fit in the world of school, home and friendships. They bring their honest opinions to the table and they expect you to give them your undivided attention to whatever conversations arise.
• They are sensitive to others and quick to give whatever they have to “make it better.” 
• When children enter the classroom, they don’t expect elaborate toys. They look forward to their teacher interacting with them. They eagerly await to see what’s new today! They look forward to a group of friends they have bonded with. They need their routine. They need the safety of rules and schedules. I just can’t imagine not having the opportunity to teach elementary children in my life. I was a classroom teacher for 19 years, and I have special memories of each of those years. I have taught at Ballard, Satilla Marsh and Golden Isles Elementary.

When Brunswick native Shadah Arnette was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 42, she was stunned.

“My husband found it (tumor) in my right breast on Oct. 22, 2018,” she said. After scheduling a mammogram with her primary physician, Dr. Trent Schueneman, she was diagnosed in November. According to The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unlike other forms of breast cancer, triple negative does not have any of the receptors that are commonly found in breast cancer and is generally found in younger women. “Dr. (Antonio) Moran (her oncologist), said they don’t know what causes triple negative.” Whatever the cause of her particular type of cancer, African American and Hispanic women are at higher risk of triple negative breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Thankfully, Shadah said, her cancer was caught at stage one, but she had to undergo a lumpectomy, followed by months of chemotherapy, radiation and breast reconstruction. Also in her favor—she tested negative for the BRACA gene that can increase the chance of developing both breast and ovarian cancers.

Rick and Sharon Hindery met at work. “She was one of the most hard-working and honest people I had ever met,” Rick said about Sharon. Still, it took him a little while to ask her out. “We knew each other and appreciated each other’s qualities before we got to a romantic or dating relationship,” Sharon explained, “I think more people really need to learn to be friends first, before the rest comes along.” When I asked how long they’ve been married, Sharon said, “We don’t do numbers,” while Rick interjected, “We always say, Forever.”

Anyone who encounters Rick and Sharon is struck by how happy they always are. “You’ve seen us retired,” Rick said, “We were literally working seven days a week.” That work was in Chicago, where they had to contend with cold winters in addition to hectic work lives. “Our life now is so different from the life we had in Chicago,” Rick continued, “We get to associate with anybody we want to. We get to take on any task we want to.” Sharon laughed, “And, say no!”

Career: Brunswick’s Newest City Commissioner
Hometown: Brunswick, Ga

Why did you run for City Commissioner? I wanted each resident of the City of Brunswick to have a strong foundation from which to thrive. I also felt that Millennials deserved to have a seat at the table where decisions were being made.

What do you love about Brunswick?
One thing for sure is that I never feel alone here. Brunswick is home. I have beautiful childhood memories here. The people in my city are what makes it such a special place to live.

When Darien innkeeper JoAnn Viera was featured just over nine years ago in the pages of Paisley, she had made the life-changing decision to leave a high-pressure career in New England to renovate and open a bed and breakfast on the Darien riverfront. While she continues to run the Darien Waterfront Inn, three years ago she took another leap of faith when she left the inn’s original location behind and built a new inn six blocks away.

Four years ago, Taylor Parsons made a life-changing decision. After several years of substance abuse and trips to jail and rehab, the court gave her a simple choice: Prison or Grace House. She had never been to Brunswick. She’d been living in southwest Georgia for almost seven years. She’d tried rehab before, but something about that stark choice made her decide to give the Coastal Georgia halfway house a chance.

“My life before Grace House was so dark and depressing,” Taylor explained, “I was so miserable.” She was ready to make a change when the judge gave her that choice. “It was to the point where I was like, ‘I need to either make a change or die. I can’t do this anymore,’” she added. She didn’t want to die, but she knew she couldn’t keep living the life she felt trapped in. “I owe a lot of it to God. It’s not something I could just do on my own. I had tried tons of times… I had to just give up… let go and let God.”

Occupation: Founder, Head Cheerleader at 2nd Story Goods, Author, Painfully Honest: The Tale of a Recovering Helper

Hometown: Golden Isles

Tell us about your career:
  Originally from Atlanta, I’ve spent a good portion of my life working with people who find themselves in the margins of society. I find myself drawn to the edges.

After college my husband and I moved to Vancouver Island. He was a Pastor in a local church.  We spent some years living in community and experienced the great highs and heart wrenching lows of trying to help people in desperate situations.  We brought homeless people into our house, in hopes of restoring them to health, often to see them leave within hours or days. We spent countless hours counseling others, hoping to convince them of God’s great love for them and their own great beauty and worth.

Occupation: Executive Director at Glynn Community Crisis Center/Amity House, Brunswick, GA    

Hometown: Augusta, GA

Volunteer/Community Work:
My volunteer and community work interests center around women’s empowerment, health and well-being; animal welfare; and our church home in Michigan. (I took a 30-year detour in Battle Creek, where I met the love of my life.)  

Tell us about your career:
Fairly early in my career I learned I needed to feel my work made a difference and was a meaningful contribution to my community. I started in the for-profit sector, working in human resources for a life insurance company. Before long, I moved into the non-profit world, working for the Humane Society of South-Central Michigan, The Woman’s Co-op, and several other Michigan non-profits. When we moved to St. Simons Island in 2009, I worked briefly in for-profit again, but had to get back to my difference-making journey. Serving as Executive Director of Glynn Community Crisis Center for the past five years has enriched this journey in so many ways. In spring of 2022, Amity House will become a pet-friendly domestic violence shelter, fulfilling one of my dreams! 

Occupation: (Retired) Regional Manager, State of Georgia

Hometown: Born in Savannah, Ga., resided in Jacksonville, Florida, but has lived on Saint Simons Island for the last 17 years

Volunteer/Community Work:
I have always been involved in the communities where I resided. I served on statewide committees and am a graduate of Leadership Georgia. I am currently President of the Brunswick (GA) Chapter of the Links Incorporated. Our organization is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations. Locally, we have 31 members and serve Camden, Glynn and McIntosh counties. We continue to partner and engage with like-minded organizations and individuals who share our vision. This past year has been challenging as we shifted our paradigm into the virtual world of Zoom due to Covid-19. But even with that, we didn’t slow down our efforts, and we continued to excel in supporting our programs within the communities.

Volunteer/Community Work:
Organizations in which I’ve recently volunteered are LB B4& After, Save Our Youth Savannah, Mount Moriah # 37 Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star, Omar court #91, Daughters of the Imperial Court

Tell us about your career:
Nursing was not my first career choice. Initially, I wanted to be a forensic pathologist well before shows such as CSI. I never wanted to be a nurse because I saw it as following in my mother and grandmother’s footsteps. Fast forward, I changed my mind and chose nursing (or maybe nursing chose me). A friend always felt that I would be great at it, as she felt I was compassionate and had a knack for caring for others. I received my Associate’s Degree in Nursing from what is now The College of Coastal Georgia. I got my B.S. in Nursing from Georgia Southern University, Savannah Campus. Once in the field of nursing, I found my true calling. I worked in the hospital setting for 11 years and transitioned into my new profession as a nurse practitioner about five years ago. My Master’s and Doctor of Nursing degrees are from South University. I currently work at Coastal Community Health Services, a federally qualified health center which provides primary care among other services to the indigent and underserved in the McIntosh and Glynn County areas. My career has been challenging, but most of all very rewarding.

Growing up in Greenville, SC, just 30 minutes from the school, Angie Aimar knew that Clemson was the only college she wanted to go to. “If I hadn’t gotten in there, I would have gone to technical school instead,” she said. But, she did get in, and she started her computer science studies in 1980. Karen Summers Welsh went to high school in Spartanburg, SC, and she also only applied to Clemson. Her father was a Georgia Tech alum and would take her to the games. When she was in the tenth grade, she looked over at the Clemson student section at one of the games in Atlanta, and said, “They look like they’re having fun!” Decision made. She was also a freshman in 1980, majoring in horticulture.

Brandi Lyde Whitfield and Latasha Rozier graduated Brunswick High just a few years apart, but they didn’t become friends until several years after high school. “She was a senior when I was a freshman, and she was too stuck up then to be my friend,” laughs Brandi. Latasha counters, “Why would I talk to a freshman? I had plenty of friends in my own class.” Let me tell you, chatting with these two is an experience! So much laughter!

Sitting around Latasha’s insurance office with them, their clever banter and ease in each other’s presence belies an awkward beginning. About 13 years ago, not long after Brandi began working full-time in the insurance industry, a mutual friend suggested she get to know Latasha, who was just entering the field. Maybe because of that professional connection, their first few lunches together were incredibly awkward. Once they decided to drop that veneer and get real with each other, the fun really started!