With Simply Savannah Marketing and iHeartRadio continuing to support local nonprofits, I head out to Ardsley Station to check out their monthly Sips at the Station fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity on Aug. 17.
Greeting me at the Victory Drive and Drayton Street eatery is 6'9" Seattle transplant Tyler Kopkas. The extroverted restaurant co-owner is sprouting out Snoop Dogg lyrics while he watches his Executive Chef Dustin Ricker roast peppers for the pimento cheese and peach bruschetta.
As smoke billows out of the cooker, I insist on a sample before easily convincing the chef to pose with Simply Savannah's Katie Davis and Dru Usry along with the photo reluctant Crystal Colson with iHeartRadio while Tyler continues to rap and rhyme in his signature "holding it down" style.
With the ladies finishing up raffle details and table set ups, I mosey over to chat with Habitat Development Director Julie Schwartz about the executive office grand opening next Thursday at 701 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. After a quick pose of Julie between beautiful soul Brandon Bovre and Tyler's chatty self, I head inside to find Ardsley Station General Manager Monica Krause chatting with her team.
I love learning where everyone is from, it tells me alot about who they are and gives me hints about their personalities. Meet Fern Pfleger of Huntsville, Alabama, Keith Miller from Tampa, Florida, and Loni Lewis of Hinseville. All the friends pause in their duties to smile with Monica before I get called over to snap a pic of Tourism Leadership Council's fresh-faced Stephen Plunk.
Snacking on some fried mac-n-cheese bites from Adam Hodges, I follow my nose into the kitchen and find co-owner Mary Pascal watching Ian Carlisle and Jesse Stone plate pickled shrimp. I know I should never interfere with chefs when they are plating a meal but I really want a pic of these guys with Mary and Chef Dustin so I promise to take one pic and leave.
After sitting with graphic designer William Fegan and meeting Decie Odom, the United Webworks Alabama native tells me, "I am permanently placed here and am actively luring my family and friends here." Wait, Is that John Alexander's tall self making an appearance? The motorcycle loving photographer is quizzing me on my recent west coast trip, but I can't even tell him about it because so many familiar faces pop up at the same time.
Well hello LeAndrea Mikell! The Savannah State governmental relations executive director is chatting with her fellow Savannah Jaycees member Richard Sanders, Zelonia Williams is ravishing in some fierce yellow creation, and the queen of fit, Sheena Allen, is making rounds through the room.
Arriving next is Savannah Master Calendar's Marianne Ganem Poppell, her uber cute momma Evelyn Ganem and the hardest working flooring dude in town, Marianne's husband Rob. Stoked to offer her media and promotion connections to help small businesses and nonprofits, Marianne tells me, "Helping spread the word about Habitat's new offices and Howe2Run's second year anniversary is an honor."
After introducing my good friend Alex Neumann to the gorgeous Melissa Dawn Bailey and Katie Siplon, I follow him over to meet Case Veterinarian Clinics Alexis Burke who tells us, "I'm the significant other to the Habitat CEO." She is talking about Zerik Samples. Waving him over, I talk with the Brunswick native about growing up with an educator mom and a chef dad.
“My mom and dad kept us in church, theater, sports and music. They kept me and my brother extremely active in the community. This upbringing molded me into becoming a community servant leader,” shares the proud son. With a decade of serving others, Zerik hopes to increase awareness of Habitat’s programs and decrease the affordable housing shortage in Savannah.
With a deficit of 15,000 housing units, Habitat for Humanity hopes to create opportunities for affordable home ownership through their homeowner service program. With 154 homes built since 1983 in Savannah, this international affordable housing nonprofit continues to change the lives of hard working families in Chatham County. Way to build us all up Zerik! You, your team and your mighty army of volunteers are building hope and homes in our county one house at a time.
Learn more on Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity at habitatsavannah.org.
Invite Bunny to your gathering, gala or other social event. Contact Bunny at 912-844-1122 or email her at bunnyware@aol.com. See more columns by Bunny at SavannahNow.com/Lifestyle/.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity talks home ownership with donors
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