October 2018 Park Angel of the Month: Matt O’Neill Real Estate
Matt O’Neill Real Estate is one of Charleston’s most successful real estate firms. Having helped over one-thousand Charleston-area families find their new homes, Matt and his team go the extra mile to give back to the communities that house them. Matt O’Neill Real Estate has supported local organizations including Charleston Habitat for Humanity, Charleston Pet Helpers, and the Charleston Parks Conservancy.
It wasn’t until team members Dancy Dickson and Missy Reid shared their personal volunteer experience at the Conservancy’s Weeding Wednesdays that Matt was introduced to the Conservancy.
“We love how beautiful this city is,” Matt Shared. “We noticed all these great parks throughout Charleston and we loved how wonderful it was that there were so many public spaces available to the community. We felt obligated to help take care of these green spaces.”
Matt’s love of parks and the outdoors extends beyond community service. As he explains, “There are studies suggesting that walking in green spaces can improve your overall health over time. In many countries, it’s even prescribed as a form of medicine. So for me, I try to get out with my team and my family as much as possible.”
This past May, Matt put his ideology to work when he and his team volunteered an entire day at Colonial Lake. Together with Conservancy staff, his team planted more than five-hundred southeastern native plants and sedges on the Broad Street side of the lake. That same day, Matt and his team presented the Charleston Parks Conservancy with a check for $2,500 to help support the work of the Conservancy.
“It’s fun to get your hands dirty, to create something beautiful, and make your mark on the community. Working that day at Colonial Lake was one of our favorite events,” said Matt. “We had a ton and fun with Neves and Rachel. To this day we like to point out to our kids, co-workers, and clients the work we did whenever we drive past Colonial Lake.”
Matt O’Neill Real Estate is also sponsoring this year’s Party for the Parks: Disco at Colonial Lake. Matt shared, “My team and I have been practicing their dance moves for the big day. We can’t wait to get down at Party for the Parks.”
If you’re interested in participating in our group/corporate volunteering program, please contact our Director of Volunteers, Neves Richards at neves@charlestonparksconservancy.org.