IslandVibesIOP.com 22 Most among us would agree that lifelong friendships are a special and rare gift – a sentiment not lost on Sue Kim and her childhood friend Valerie McHenry. Celebrating nearly 40 years of friendship, this charming duo wastes not one bit of the time they feel fortunate to spend together on the Isle of Palms. Kim explained, “Valerie and I have been friends for almost 40 years, and when she moved to the Isle of Palms, I knew I would be visiting her often!” Kim and McHenry are both Maryland natives, with Kim now residing in Northern Virginia. Kim noted, “I make the drive down here from Northern Virginia at least once a year.” With equal parts island exploring and catching up, the longtime friends never lack for things to do during their girls’ time on the island. Kim continued, “We enjoy spending time in her pool, taking our dogs to the beach, eating, shopping and just relaxing together.” The friends work on a variety of projects together as well, with the most recent involving refinishing some vintage folding tables. McHenry elaborated, “Sue is the artistic, creative one! She always helps me with decorating, and she made her own stencils and painted them on my aunt’s tables. We are currently in the process of trying to frame these vintage postcards we got when we went to Hawaii together almost 20 years ago!” Kim spends her non-vacation time as a marketing and events director for a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. When she visits the island, she and her canine companion, Jack, like to walk the beach and relax with their friends. Kim described Jack’s vibe. “Jack is a busybody and likes to sniff out any treats or crumbs in Valerie’s house. He also enjoys sitting next to Valerie’s husband on the couch and displacing their dog Finley. On the other hand, he dislikes anyone riding by on a scooter, bike or golf cart and demonstrates his distaste with boisterous barking.” While the friends do enjoy eating out and tend to frequent the Long Island Café on special occasions, they typically prefer leaving the dogs with Valerie’s husband Jay while they indulge in a day of shopping. They often return to the McHenry house to find a homecooked meal, courtesy of the aforementioned husband. Shopping includes a good amount of thrifting, to which McHenry credits Kim as the expert. McHenry laughed, “We do lots of shopping. Sue likes to thrift and I am learning! The most recent shopping trips were to the Goodwill, Mount Pleasant Mall, a few antique places and Hobby Lobby.” The friends know with each goodbye there is the promise of Kim’s return, and who can blame her? Our fair isle is one warm, welcome respite, especially when it includes a longtime friend and kindred spirit. One of three siblings from a tight-knit family, Dr. Laura Jean Varadi remembers her quintessential island childhood with warmth and fondness. Varadi explained, “Honestly it wasn’t until I went off to college that I realized how fortunate I was to grow up on the Isle of Palms. People would say, ‘that’s where we vacation!’ And that’s when it clicked that not everyone had the same Meet Your Island Neighbors! By Laura Fogarty Living vicariously through the Varadis PEOPLE & PETS Friendships last longer at the beach Memories make for the best souvenirs By Laura Fogarty VacationVibesonIOP.com type of childhood as I did! Bike rides around the island after school, walking to the beach just because, golf carting to the marina, taking the boat out to fish most weekends – it was definitely one of a kind.” Riding bikes through Wild Dunes on summer evenings and stopping to listen to the music at the Grand Pavilion while pretending to be on vacation was a common occurrence for the Varadi siblings. Some of Varadi’s favorite memories include early morning fishing trips out to the jetties with her dad and ending her childhood days watching sunsets on the beach. Varadi continued, “After growing up on the island, I realized I couldn’t stray far from home. I attended MUSC for dental school and completed a residency in Florida. About six years ago, things fell into place and I became the owner of McClellanville Dental Care. I am the only dentist in the practice and have a wonderful staff. Our office is an older Sue Kim, Valerie McHenry, dogs Jack and Fin Sue Kim Sue Kim and Jack Continued on Page 23.
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