Gratitude is the act of feeling and communicating appreciation for the people, circumstances, and material possessions in our lives. For twenty years now, my hometown community has embraced and supported Elegant Island Living magazine. I’d like to express my gratitude by thanking the three groups of people who’ve made EIL what it is today.
First, there’s the amazing EIL staff. When I first met our Senior Account Manager Yolanda O’Hern, she wanted to work “one or two days a week” selling ads when she and her husband, Jack retired here. For over a decade now, about once a year as we meet over coffee, Yolanda will tell me she is ready to retire. I always tell her to “think it over” for a night and we’ll sit back down to talk. I just never schedule the next sit down, so she can never retire! Julie Andrew is the “life of the party,” attending hundreds of events to capture the fantastic photos you see in our popular Social Scene section. Molly Duckworth helps clients market their products in the pages of EIL and is always willing to lend a helping hand with our fashion shoots. She may be the only person I know who’s a bigger dog lover than I am! Todd Baker is our EIL Homes real estate listings wrangler extraordinaire. On top of the thousands of words Kathi Williams writes every issue, she’s also our Social Media Director. I don’t have a FB, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat account. I’ve got something better … a Kathi Williams! Art Director Beth Rowen is at the heart of the design and overall look that are the essence of EIL. She creates the beautiful features that our readers have become accustomed to. Where would we be without a muse? And finally, Terry McCarthy, our Production Manager, otherwise known as Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs, is The Wizard of EIL. Pay no attention to that “man” behind the curtain. Terry is involved in EVERY aspect of EIL. She is Geppetto to my Pinocchio!
Next, I want to thank and acknowledge our wonderful advertisers. From the first issue, through the 2008 financial crisis and recent pandemic to today, our loyal advertisers have stuck with us and continue to trust us to promote their businesses to our community. Without our advertisers, there is no EIL.
And finally, my gratitude to you, the readers, who have supported us year in and year out by picking up a copy of EIL, reading it, and frequenting the many retail stores, restaurants and businesses that advertise within our pages. Thank you!
Now on to the next twenty years. Semper ad meliora!
