112 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com our neighbors When chatting with neighbors east of the Cooper, I always want to know: What is your favorite aspect of living in the Lowcountry? What do you do for fun when you have free time? And, how would you describe the area to someone wanting to move here? LORETTA GERALD Cultural Historian, Fiber Artist and Motivational Speaker “As the middle child of seven, I was born and raised in North Santee. My favorite part of living in the Lowcountry is being surrounded by family, because when we hit the rough patches in life, we always have each other.” “When I’m not at the Rice Museum in Georgetown or leading a Gullah Geechee presentation at the Hopsewee Plantation Museum, you’ll find me resting, cooking, reading, creating my art, traveling or gardening. My grandmother taught me to love the earth, and gardening is a very spiritual practice for me. In my two 3x5 cedar garden boxes I plant and harvest roses, okra, greens, peppers and fruit trees such as lemon and apple.” “When it comes to moving to the Lowcountry, a lot of people are attracted to the beauty of our landscape and its history. For me, it is that and more: the trees such as the Angel Oak, marshes, forests, beautiful gardens and waterways. It’s also the animals, rare birds and beautiful flowers we often see year-round during all of our seasons. A big drawback to consider though is the mosquitos.” CHRIS ENDRES Creative Director F22 Internet Solutions, LLC “I love having so much access to the water. Plus, our weather is amazing, and the history, food and culture are wonderful.” “In my free time I enjoy swimming.” “I would describe Charleston as a small town that has a larger city vibe. And we feel fortunate to explore the great dining, shopping and other countless adventures that abound all around our fine city.” MICHAEL MCDONNELL BS, CSCS, TPI “The weather! I love how we live in such a beautiful place with such close proximity to downtown where there’s always so much to do.” “In my spare time I love to play golf! Since I work in the golf space, getting out on the course to play is always at the top of my list.” “For anyone thinking of moving here, Charleston is the perfect blend of what I consider to be the best place to live because of its beautiful and mostly warm weather, yet we still have the seasons. Additionally, there is a wide variety of things to do locally, as well as other regional getaways and destinations that are easy to travel to within a short distance.” East Cooper Neighbors BY SARAH ROSE
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