Vereen Coen, Mrs. Richard, was the president of the Charleston Speech and Hearing Center Board of Directors that hired me in 1964. This was an exceptional community board and Vereen was the dynamo that kept it rolling. When Liz and I came to Charleston to look for housing, she drove us all over the area and Suzanne stayed at her house with her housekeeper. Her mother, Mary Vereen Huguenin, was the founding president of the then Junior League School of Speech and the co-editor of Charleston Receipts, the fabulous cookbook that supported the center for so many years. Over the years our friendship continued to develop and Vereen has remained a supporter. I always look forward to her cheerful telephone calls. She is one of the most positive, out-going people I know. She has made such a tremendous contribution to Charleston and to my life. Today I am thankful for this outstanding community volunteer and friend Vereen Coen.
Take every Thursday to recognize someone you are thankful for and let him or her know it. You will be glad that you did. Enlist others to join us in creating an attitude of gratitude. Why just Thursdays? We should be thankful every day and that is the goal; however, if it were every day, it would soon fall by the wayside.
