<strong>Q: How long have you lived in Beaufort?</strong>

A: I have had the pleasure and honor of living here for just over 17 years.

<strong>Q: What organization do you represent?</strong>

A: My passion is volunteering with different nonprofit organizations in the area.  I am a member of Rotary Club of the Lowcountry where I am president elect for next year.  Rotary does a lot of fundraising then distributes all the funds to charities of

[caption id="attachment_9502" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Volunteer-1-17.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9502" title="Volunteer 1-17" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Volunteer-1-17-300x214.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="214" /></a> This Volunteer Spotlight portrait of Charlotte Gonzalez was taken by Captured Moments Photogrpahy at 509-B Adventure St., Beaufort SC 29902. 843-379-0223,<br />www.capmom.com. Nominate a volunteer by emailing theislandnews@gmail.com and tell us the person’s name and contact information.[/caption]

the area as well as for Rotary International projects.

I am host mom for a Belgium foreign exchange student, Camille Dantinne, who attends Beaufort High School.

I am currently president of the Leadership Beaufort Alumni Association which is an organization that puts on informative programs that are open to the public for free.  The next one is scheduled for today at the Holiday Inn at 5:30 p.m.

I helped United Way this year for their fundraising goals by chairing the Small Business Campaign. I worked with HELP of Beaufort last year and will do the same this year on their upcoming “Happy Days for HELP — Dancing through the Decades” as well as co-chaired last year’s Women Build house for Lowcountry Habitat for Humanity, and was a trashbuster for the Friends of Hunting Island in 2012.

I also volunteer with the great people of Main Street Beaufort at Shrimp Festival and have been a director for the Beaufort Water Festival for the past several years.

<strong>Q: How did you first get involved with these organizations?</strong>

A: Wow, how did I first get involved with these organizations? I ask myself that all the time.  A wonderful gentleman name Elliot Hagan asked me to breakfast at his Rotary club one Friday morning and the rest is history as far as Rotary is concerned.  It seems to represent my beliefs to the tee “Service Above Self.” I will be forever grateful for his invitation and thankful to the club for letting me be a part of the organization.  As for all the other groups, usually I am just out and about this wonderful community having fun and see something going on that it would be nice to take part in, and somehow end up volunteering.

<strong>Q: Describe one of your most memorable experiences as a volunteer. </strong>

<strong>A: </strong>I have had many memorable experiences as a volunteer that I will never forget.  There can be no greater pleasure than knowing you are helping others in need.  The most recent thing that comes to mind is HELP of Beaufort put out the word that there was an elderly person who had no heat and had just been discharged from the hospital with severe upper respiratory problems.  I had the great pleasure in purchasing a safe, portable heater so that she had heat during a time when it was extremely cold.

<strong>Q: What do you like best about Beaufort?</strong>

A: The thing I like most about Beaufort is the people. Having moved around for almost 20 years, Beaufort’s people made me feel the most welcomed. Everyone always has a smile and a friendly word to say and you just can’t leave out the beautiful historic city and outlying areas.  It is just a wonderful community that has been an honor to be part of.