Attention all animal lovers! It is time for the 4th Annual Wild Night Out for the Savannah Wildlife Center with the pied-piper of our wounded and hurt furry animals, Jeanne Paddison!
Hosted once again at Ships of the Sea on October 4, I arrived early and found familiar faces Emily Dover, Pam Veiock and Susan Timna manning the check-in desk. Already up to date on Dr. Timna’s Expert Hearing Launch Event on October 24, Pam tells me, “JCB just hosted the 17th Annual Lady Bamford Center Golf Tournament. Two hundred and fifty thousand was raised to help the babies at the center.” Of course I should have expected friends of Jeanne to be of service to others.
After a long hug of my longtime friend, I walk past an obvious fashionista and do a double take because Shannon Hunt is on the prowl! Wearing a vivid leopard print dress, large framed glasses and fluffy slip on heels, Shannon tells me, “My style is more ‘go big or go home’ and I may sell real estate to pay for my fashion.” Standing with her is a gorgeous woman that insists that she is Elaine’s mom. Shaking my head in disbelief, I realize I am finally meeting the iconic Elaine Seabolt of Seabolt Real Estate. In the 18 years of meeting women who have shaped the real estate landscape in Savannah, I had never had the chance to chat with the luxury, full-service real estate firm founder. After leading off the conversation and showing off pics of her true love, a 3-year-old Cavalier King James Spaniel named Boudreaux, Shannon tells me that her mom rescues animals - a lot! We take a seat because I have a feeling this chat is going to be epic, especially when Shannon rewinds a video showing a pig climbing up on the couch with Boudreaux. Elaine then fills me in on the life of Boss Hog, her 7 month old pot bellied peg that she rescued when he was 8 days old. “I took that baby into my office every day to bottle feed him, he has his own sofa, pool and is besties with Boudreaux. I have 75 acres outside of town where he lives with a rabbit, two thoroughbreds, two goats, two great pyrenees and one old cavalier.”
A serious fan of this woman after she tells me she collects vehicles like she does rescue animals, I learn of her Trophy Defender, G Wagon and Jeep collection while getting visuals of her getting up at 5:30am every morning in her nightgown and muck boots to feed her stable of animals who went from living in poverty and neglect to living in animal heaven.
Ok- I may have talked way too long with the dynamic duo because I have missed my chance to get an interview with Jeanne but I do manage to pause her for a pic with her and her uber chill husband David Paddison. The avid automobile lover is talking about the custom Jeep he had ordered for Jeanne, claims his new Sprinter van is the best way to navigate the North Carolina mountains and is cool when I tell him that Tripp Tollison won’t refuse a photo if it is with him!
True enough, SEDA’s main man graciously poses for a pic before I get pulled away by the queen of Guerry Lumber, Lyndy Beam. Focused on outbidding everyone in the room for a custom swing bed, Lyndy asked me when I’m coming out to see her massive cypress trees. Leaning in, Lyndy says, “I just built a barndominium beside the big house. It was too big for me.” Pointing at her grandson Will Wheat, she adds, “I gave the big house to him.”
With a promise to see her country estate next week, I head into the crowd of who’s who and see sound master Paul Mazo chatting with Hunter Macclean’s Andrea Dove, eclectic collector Ramsey Khalidi hanging with wine, music and real estate lover George Cohen while the talented Maggie Evans sits between them.
When I say talented, I mean not only does Maggie sing, she is an artist and painter and races bicycles. “I was hit while riding about a year and half ago, I am finally back at it,” shares the quiet beauty.
As part of tonight’s live entertainment, along with her husband Jackson and Ricardo Ochoa, I leave Maggie and head over to check out the culinary creations of Chef Kirk Blaine but get sidetracked when Lisa Wilkes pops up in front of me with a plate full of lobster rolls and crab cakes.
The empty nester tells me of her small trips, life as an empty nester and that “life is good” as a real estate appraiser. After admiring her natural glow, we talk with her good friend Deb Conway about her love of travel, what's new with her man Michael Calarruda and a psychic reading. Yep, somehow we have detoured in the magic realm and I am fascinated by the stories I hear!
With over 23 of SMC’s 50 volunteers floating around, I managed to pause Georgia Southern University Pre Vet / Biology major Sydnee Juleus for a quick question. Why do you want to be a veterinarian? “I want to look out for creatures that people typically look over. Seeing the shape that they are in and being able to turn that around and give them a chance to live is what I want to do,” shares the GSU senior.
Walking towards me is a young dude I have known from his first year in banking to his jump into the trucking world as CFO for Savannah Logistics Group. Meet Statesboro Georgia’s most fabulous transplant Wesley Olliff! With him is the founder of SLG Todd Womble, a sort of quiet dude and his vivacious wife Jan who tells me some cool news. “We are starting a local trucking podcast. Dee Daniels is helping us get it together.”
Next up, money man Mike McCarthy is talking with Zachary Riddle but doesn’t seem to mind my interruption when I ask, “Would you be interested in being a speaker for the Savannah Downtown Business Association next year?”
Happily agreeing, I rushed over to interrupt golf event queen Cheyenne Overby while she was talking to SDBA Executive Director Brooke Goth and told Brooke that I have secured a fabulous speaker for next year. Amped to learn that the Managing Partners of Hancock Askew have agreed to speak, I trot over to make their introduction but get detained by the fabulous Gaye Reese Holt.
Making sure that I get a photo of the Gaye with her man Rusty, I am asking about the love of their life, four legged Harley, when Terri O’Neil takes the mic to introduce the lady that has rescued animals for the past 48 years.
Jeanne Paddison waits for the applause to die down then shares, “Thank you all for helping me in my journey to give these orphaned and injured animals a second chance to have a wild life. From deer injured by cars, animal traps, pesticides and trapping, your support tonight gives us the funds to help us rescue, rehabilitate and release everything from bats to bobcats.”
With a goal to teach the importance of respecting our environment with a focus on compassion and coexisting with your wild neighbors, Jeanne helps over 17 different indigenous species and provides care for the 1000 animals that come through her Thunderbolt center every year. Approaching their 10th year and having saved over 6,800 animals, please give a standing ovation to Jeanne and her wildlife warriors!
Give her a call if you want to volunteer!
