Wendy Nelson Bolton is a life-long resident of coastal Georgia and has been living in Richmond Hill since 1982. She is a founding member of the Coastal Bryan Tree Foundation and the Bryan County Bark Park Association serving both organizations as President. In 2005 she, along with Carole Brogdon, worked to launch the Coastal Bryan Tree Foundation’s first official fundraiser – The Root Ball, a biennial event raising between $15,000 – $20,000 and attended by more than 200 people. Wendy has also been a long-time Girl Scout volunteer, serving as a leader and special events coordinator at the troop level and seven years on the board of directors fulfilling the duties of secretary and fund development chair. After working for 20 years as an Executive Assistant, Wendy embarked on a new adventure as a full-time mother. She and her best friend, Mark Bolton are parents to Nicholas, their eighteen year-old son. Mark, a Vice-President at Coastal Electric Cooperative where he has worked for over 38 years, has been married to Wendy since 1994. With Nicholas now away at school, they are adjusting to life as empty nesters. After stumbling upon a dog park in Highlands, NC, Wendy started developing ideas for bringing a similar facility to Richmond Hill. Joining with other local dog lovers, the group worked diligently to make this dream become a reality. Wendy is dedicated to volunteering in our community to make Bryan County an even more wonderful place to live. During her 36 years of living in Richmond Hill, Wendy has shared her home with two incredible black Labrador Retrievers (Crystal and Lucy) followed by Golden Retrievers, Brittney and Bailey. Her current Golden Retriever, Sadie, loves nice days riding with the top down on Wendy’s car.

Laura graduated from the University of Georgia with a BBA in accounting and is a retired Certified Public Accountant previously licensed in Georgia and North Carolina. She is active in community activities and formerly served as treasurer for Arts on the Coast and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children. She is also a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill. She has also served as treasurer, Jr. Warden and Sr. Warden at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church where she was one of the founding members. When Richmond Hill’s Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1984 McGee was the board’s treasurer. She has also volunteered with Junior Achievement, the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival, the American Heart Association, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, among others.   Laura’s previous professional positions include opening the accounting firm now known as McGee Collins, serving as a tax accountant with Thompson & Benken, an auditor with the North Carolina Department of Human Resources, a staff accountant with Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, CPAs, as well as Baird & Co, CPAs. These experiences make McGee an ideal treasurer of the Bryan County Bark Park board.

Laura Evans has been a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones since 2000 and has been in the Richmond Hill branch since she moved to Georgia from Illinois in 2004. She is a Certified Financial Planner and a Limited Partner with Edward Jones. Laura has been active in the community since – serving as Exchange Club President (twice), Lions Club President and on several committees including the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival for several years. Her most treasured volunteer work (aside from the Bark Park Board of course) is as a mentor for the Boys and Girls Club of Savannah. She, Jonathan and Khy’ree have spent most Thursdays together for the past four years. A lifelong lover of dogs, Laura is currently co-habitating with Dave and Greta, both rescues about 9 years old. (Dave is named after musician Dave Matthews) Dave really believes he should be in the big dog section of the dog park and sees the big dogs as role models; though he is not interested in even getting the tip of a paw wet much less diving in the pond. Greta wants nothing to do with the big dogs or really, if we’re honest, the dog park. She doesn’t want to be left behind so she tolerates Dave & I. We are all loving the sunsets on the Tivoli Marsh since recently moving to a new home in Richmond Hill.

Kyle has lived in Richmond Hill for 37 years and works as a veterinarian. He is a lifelong animal lover with a special place in his heart for Labradors who has worked over the years with multiple animal rescue organizations and spay/neuter programs. He joins our board because he believes that the Bark Park is a much needed and very welcome addition to the community. He would like to acknowledge the hard work of many people within our community who have worked hard to bring this project to completion and the unwavering commitment of the board to the completion, success and ongoing development of the Bark Park.

Greg Elmgren is a Savannah native and has been a resident of Richmond Hill since 2001. He is also the owner of Elmgren’s Garden Center, which he opened as Elmgren’s Services in 1986. To this day, it remains an independently-owned and operated, local retail business in beautiful Richmond Hill, GA. He proudly serves customers throughout the low country, Savannah and surrounding areas. It is through love, understanding and ownership of dogs that Greg serves the Bryan Bark Park with pride, and believes it is a very important part of our local community that must be protected and fostered. The Bark Park adequately provides a safe, loving and respectful place for dogs and their companions. Greg and his wife Joy Dunigan, are life-long dog owners and are currently under the watchful ownership of Elmgren’s Salty ‘Montauk’ and the love of his life, Elmgren’s Little Miss High in ‘Cotton’. It’s not uncommon for Montauk and Cotton to hang out regularly at the Garden Center. So on your next visit, please be sure to stop and say hello.

Kristyn Fielding earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations with a minor in marketing from Georgia Southern University. During her education she completed a summer internship with The Averitt Center for the Arts and volunteered with Main Street Statesboro for their 2015 ‘Staycation’ event as well as with Goodwill Industries as a Job Connection Volunteer. Fielding was also an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America and co-host of a weekly radio show for Georgia Southern University’s official radio station, WVGS 91.9 The Buzz. She joined Richmond Hill based Lesley Francis Public Relations in 2016 and brings marketing and event management expertise to the board. Fielding has enjoyed volunteering with the Bark Park since relocating to Costal Georgia and her yellow lab, Cotton, loves visiting the park and participating in the organization’s annual events, especially Howl-o-ween

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