Renee is currently a 4th-grade teacher at Eustis Elementary School and has been a member of FPCE since 1993. While she is not a native Floridian, she has lived here longer than she's lived anywhere else. Her dad was an Air Force pilot, so they moved around a lot. They've lived in Ohio, Michigan, South Carolina, and Germany. She has a BS degree in Communications/Video Production from Ohio University and worked in the Peace Corps for 2.5 years in Guatemala.
She moved to Florida after her husband “Gary” opened a transmission shop in Inverness. For years, she worked in Orlando doing Public Relations and staff training videos for a large health care company until deciding to stay home with her three little kids. When the children were in elementary school, she became a teacher and enjoyed encouraging kids to realize their full potential. Their kids were raised in our church, and she volunteered with the children’s program, youth group, and mission trips. She comes from a family of believers who has always gotten involved in a church no matter where they lived. She has received comfort and joy from participating in youth groups, bible studies, community choirs, and service projects. The most memorable times from her youth group days were the camping and skiing trips she took. It is not just for the beautiful scenery that recharges her, but for the connections she made with one another and God in that environment. Her prayer and desire are to help our current youth group have experiences that also provide connection and inspiration, and she prays for your support. (Next week you will get to meet Paul Smithson, the other co-leader of our youth group.)