By Lanier Laney
I don’t know what it is about the Buckeye State (Ohio), but like Beaufort, it seems to grow some pretty nice people. Jill and Jeff Weaver are two good examples.
Jill was born and raised in Columbus and Jeff in Springfield. They met at college then dated three years long distance while
Jill worked in Chicago and Jeff was in dental school at Ohio State. After Jeff graduated they got married and have been together happily for 12 years.
Their move to Beaufort came after a chance recommendation from a friend in Virginia where Jeff had been working in private practice for five years. Says Jeff, “We were living in Alexandria, Va., at the time and were thinking about moving. We came down to visit and fell in love with the area. We sat outside on a 70 degree day in February and had lunch downtown, watching the boats go by. We thought it was pretty great that people got to live and work in such a beautiful place. We decided this is where we wanted to be, and we both sold our businesses and moved down.”
Jill, whose background was in business and marketing, had a thriving organization business in the D.C. area. She had been recruited and trained by Julie Morgenstern in N.Y. who later became Oprah Winfrey’s Organization Expert on her television show. An episode of the show featured Jill organizing Oprah’s TV studio when it was remodeled, and later she was hired to organize Michael Jordan’s condo.
After their move south to Beaufort in August of 2005, they have never regretted their decision. Says Jill about what she loves best about Beaufort, “I really like the people in Beaufort. They are intelligent, interesting and know how to have a good time.” Jeff adds “And the people here are so nice, and it is a beautiful place to live.This time of year I can give my family in Ohio a hard time because it is snowy and icy there, 65 degrees and sunny here. We get to spend a lot more time on our porch with a glass of wine than they do.”
Jeff joined with Dr. Patrick McKnight to open McKnight & Weaver Dentistry in Port Royal. Says Jeff,” My partner and I wanted to build a dental practice that people actually want to come to. Most people complain about going to the dentist, but we realized that if we treated our patients well, took time to listen to them, and treated their unique dental needs that we would be successful. Our practice has grown each year, mainly through word-of-mouth referrals.”
In their practice they see patients of all ages and perform most types of general dentistry. They also specialize in cosmetic treatment, like porcelain veneers and Invisalign, in which they straighten teeth without the metal wires of traditional braces. Dr. Weaver is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and has been named an “Invisalign Preferred Provider” for both 2010 and 2011. Says Jeff, “I really enjoy doing ‘smile makeovers.’ To me these smile transformations are an exciting part of what dentistry can do to really help people.”
Jill, who recently closed her organizing business so she could spend more time with her family, is now working part-time at Grace & Glory Uptown, “I love it!” says Jill. “The clothes are fantastic and I love working with our customers to find the perfect gift for themselves and others.”
Helping people is a big part of what both Jeff and Jill believe in, especially when it comes to children. Jill has helped out with CAPA and Hope Haven and they are both big supporters of the Boys & Girls Club.Says Jill, “We love the charities that support the children of Beaufort.”
They are also big supporters of adoption and are very happy to be celebrating their second Christmas this year with their two adopted children Caleb (14) and Sierra, 11. They specifically wanted to adopt older children and they were especially happy to reunite a brother and sister who were in different foster care homes.
Says Jill, “Older kids deserve a chance to have a family and have a positive experience as a child,” citing that more than 100,000 children in America are now presently eligible for adoption according to recent reports.
Since Caleb and Sierra’s adoption became official in March, this Christmas marks the first Christmas that the family will officially be celebrating as “The Weavers.”
As for their future as a new family, “Being involved in whatever our kids are doing, that’s what is important to us — right now we are at a lot of Battery Creek wrestling matches,” says Jeff.
And as for this special family holiday, I’m sure everyone in Beaufort wishes the Weaver family a very Merry Christmas indeed.
Jeff’s contact info is McKnight & Weaver Dentistry, 1869 North Paris Avenue, Port Royal, SC 29935. Phone: 843-521-1869 or visit them online at www.mcknightweaver.com.
Jill can be reached at Grace & Glory, 1029 Boundary St, #A, Beaufort, SC 29902, (843) 521-4050.
