LIZA FLEURY - Shakori Hills

Selfless Volunteering

By Kristen Altman

Liza while on a trip to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Liza Fleury's selfless attitude has provided her with many opportunities for service work. She is from the town of Southern Pines, N.C. She has two sisters, one brother, a step brother and a step sister. She is very close with her extended family. She was very active in sports until middle school when she began acting and became very involved in children's theater. In high school, she began volunteer work with her church, Brownson Memorial Presbyterian. She worked with Habitat for Humanity for over four years on several weekends a year. She went to St. Mary's school for girls in Raleigh, N.C. and graduated in 2003. Then she came to Charleston and, majoring in theater, took part in acting roles in plays such as "Redcoats" and "Boys Life" as a freshman. In 2008, she left Charleston to go to Asheville after two years of school and lived there for a while. She moved back to finish school. She is happy to be back in Charleston and finishing her communication degree with a media studies concentration and a minor in Spanish. She graduates in December 2011.

About Liza Fleury...

Hometown: Southern Pines, N.C.
Major: Communication - Media Studies
Graduates: December, 2011
Where have you volunteered?
The Shakori Hills music festival in Pittsboro, N.C. once or twice a year for three years. I helped with the children's tent, making crafts and playing music and games. I am also involved in the Charleston Green Fair in 2010 and hopefully in 2011. I am also in Alliance for Planet Earth. That organization is currently working on a community garden created by College of Charleston students. I would like to become more involved with them.

I have also worked with Sandhills Renaissance School. I taught creative dramatics theater to K-3 graders. It was a very special and gratifying opportunity to work with these children. They were extremely passionate and grew so much in the time I spent with them. The time I spent at that school definitely helped me learn patience and persistence!

What do you enjoy most about service work?
What I love about community service is that I have the opportunity to donate my time to help different causes. I have been very fortunate in my life and the least I can do is give with time and energy.

What is your most memorable volunteer experience?
My most memorable volunteer experience is working with the children at the Shakori Hills grassroots festival. There is huge emphasis on sustainable living and green lifestyle and the children embrace these ideals. I know that my time with them will directly influence their consciousness of our environment.

What are you most proud of contributing to your organizations?
I am most proud of raising awareness for our environment and helping people find ways they can send positive, productive energy into this world.

How have you personally benefited from volunteering?
Personally I have benefited from volunteer work because it takes me out of my comfort zone and exposes me to situations that i always learn from. This has made me appreciate the life lessons in everything I do.
What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering?
I would tell someone thinking about volunteering to jump in feet first. Sending out positive energy through volunteering will come back to you ten fold.


How do you think your friends and family would describe you?
My friends and family would describe me as outgoing, opinionated, passionate and probably stubborn...where there's a will there's a way!

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation I hope to find a job that allows me to travel and use my Spanish skills professionally.

More Information:
To learn more about Shakori Hills grassroots festival go to shakorihills.com. Also, the Charleston Bogarden is a great place to start volunteering your time now! You can stop by most Saturdays on Rutledge and Bogard and dig in to help cultivate this community, College of Charleston student organized garden.