OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

When I'm not teaching or writing, I enjoy traveling, spending time with my family, and doing volunteer work.

No matter where I travel, or where I choose to live, a huge part of my heart lives in the Bahamas. In 1999 I accepted a two-year contract to teach English at The College of the Bahamas (now known as University of the Bahamas). There, I met some of the best teachers I've ever known, and the students and the people of the Bahamas stole my heart. Although I lived on the ocean in the Cable Beach area of Nassau, I quickly learned that the real charm of island living resided in the family islands. That is how I discovered Abaco!

One of the projects I am most proud of is the "pew project" for Saints Mary and Catherine in Tresasure Cay, Abaco.

While living in Myrtle Beach, I attended St. Michael's Catholic Church in Garden City, SC. Father Ray Carlo was in charge of building our new $6 million parish and in doing so, we were getting a new church, with all new pews. At the same time, my dear friend, Diane Solomon, in Treasure Cay, said her greatest wish was to have "real pews' in our little island Catholic church — because at the time all we had were plastic lawn chairs. I asked Father Ray if we could have 20 of the pews from our old church in Myrtle Beach, and he said yes! So, in July of 2011, my friend John Oakes "harvested" the old pews from St. Michael's in South Carolina, packed them on a truck, shipped them to Florida, and my friend Diane Solomon put them on a boat and shipped them to Abaco, Bahamas! Long story short, we now have "real pews" at our island parish in Abaco.

In addition to helping my island parish of Saints Mary and Catherine in Treasure Cay, I also actively volunteer as a grant writer and serve on the Board of Directors for Every Child Counts in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. This amazing school of 110 students (give or take) and 12 teachers give the hope of independence and the love of learning to children with disabilities.

In the photo to the right you will see Pepe Winner (my 15 year old dog who passed away in September of 2015) and I walking on the beach in Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas.