provided to The Santiva Chronicle
You fully appreciate a landscape’s flora when you experience it—its colors, textures, and aromas. Peggy Moench, who knows something about landscapes, found the same holds true of Sanibel Island.
“I left Pennsylvania to come to Sanibel in 1995,” she said. “I heard: Come on down, it’s beautiful, you’ll love it. I had no idea what it was like until I got here. And I’m still here.”
Moench, a landscaper by trade, marveled at the “small, cute island” with its pristine beaches, shining Gulf of Mexico, and community atmosphere. She launched a landscaping business that operated for 20 years.
While Moench eventually sold that business and went on to other jobs, she — like many people working on the island — found it challenging to afford housing for herself and her two sons. “I was just making it,” she said when she heard about Community Housing & Resources. “I applied and got accepted, thank God!”
Moench has retained her landscaper’s touch. When she’s not working her shift at Jerry’s Foods, you might find her tending to baby mangrove trees on behalf of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
It’s one more way for Moench to celebrate Sanibel Island’s paradise. She also celebrates CHR. “CHR makes sure things are balanced and fair for everybody. If I know someone struggling, I always suggest, ‘Please call CHR.’ I truly appreciate them for helping me lay down roots here.”
“I can’t imagine this place without them! CHR is like family,” said Moench.
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