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Welcome
to Hancock County… the Coolest Place on Earth to Live
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Tish Haas Williams
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Executive Director
tish@hancockchamber.org |
It seems
like yesterday when my husband and I made the
decision to relocate back to Mississippi to
raise our
twin
daughters. We were living in Baltimore, and our
children were only three. We began thinking
about their future. Where will they go to
school? What path will they take? I asked the
questions, what do I really want for my girls?
What is really important in life?
The
answers were simple. I want my children to have
the same opportunities I had. I want them to
have the freedom to live in a neighborhood with
children their own age, and learn how to ride a
bike without fear. I want them to be able to
walk over to their friend’s house to play
soccer, or just hang out, without me worrying if
they’d arrive safely. I want them to be able to
invite their friends to their home and know they
are welcome without making it a major event. I
want them to have a good education in a small
class environment. I want them to have a strong
faith and family.
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As I
thought about all of these quality things I
wanted for my children, all roads kept leading
south toward Mississippi. One day, I thumbed
through Coastal Living Magazine and a feature
article caught my eye: “Bay St. Louis, the
Coolest New Place To Live.”
Bay St. Louis? That’s my hometown! That
night, the Wizard of Oz came on TV. OK. I know,
I know, there IS no place like home - especially
when home is Bay St. Louis and Hancock County,
Mississippi.
Oddly,
when I was growing up, I spent the first 20
years of my life thinking, “I can’t wait to move
away, see the world, go national.” But, after I
did, I spent the next 20 years trying to find a
way to get back here. Thankfully, I did that
too. |
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In less than
one month, I had quit my job, packed my bags and
relocated to Hancock County. I left my poor husband to
finish the relocation after he found a job down here.
Two years later, I was fortunate to be recruited as the
Director of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce.
After a career in non-profit management and marketing, I
found the job I had been training for my entire career.
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As a
mother - even in spite of Katrina - Hancock
County is still the best place on earth to raise
a family, work and live. When we leave to go on
trips, my girls are the first to say, “I
wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, Mama.” I
usually hear that when we are crossing over our
nationally acclaimed bridge that is leading us
over the Bay of St. Louis with its views of the
beach, sailboats and the yacht club.
If quality of life is what you are looking for,
you need not look any further. My family lives
in a quiet neighborhood, filled with children
the same ages as my twins. I know my children
are safe when they come home from school and I
am still at work. I have a support group of
friends, neighbors and fellow parents who help
share carpools to soccer and trips for events.
We laugh together, we cry together and we just
have fun living in this special place. Life is
good. |
In Hancock
County, our personal lives center around family, food
and faith. There is always something going on for the
entire family to enjoy - festivals, the monthly artwalk
with gallery openings and live music, sporting events.
And if you grew up here or just relocated - you will be
greeted by the same welcoming smiles. Around here, even
if you are not related, you can still find people you
can call Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, Cuz, Brother or
even Sis.
If you don’t believe a place like this could exist, then
just come for a visit and see for yourself. And, don’t
blame me when you soon discover that this is STILL the
coolest place on earth to live.
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