Let me introduce you to an inspiring young woman, Wren Williams, who had a dream in the fifth grade and through hard work, found herself fulfilling her dream to be a featured twirler for the Wildcat marching band at the University of Kentucky.
Gerilyn: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
Wren: My mom was a twirler in North Augusta and my coach was a competing twirler. I started in fifth grade and had a dream to be a featured twirler. I worked hard and have achieved my goal this year.
Gerilyn: What is your favorite restaurant in Evans, and what do you love there?
Wren: My favorite restaurant in Evans is definitely Rhineharts. I love the crab and shrimp and also the fried cheese.
Gerilyn: How long have you lived or worked in Evans?
Wren: I have lived here my entire life.
Gerilyn: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Evans? Who would you like to see nominated as a Face of Evans, Georgia?
Wren: A woman that I’ve known for a very long time named Dawn Jeffers. She goes to my church, and she’s also a Horizons teacher. There are so many things that a person wants to do in life. They’re like, “Oh, I’ll get to that. It’s such a great idea.” Dawn is the person who actually does all of those things – every single thing. If she comes up with an idea, she makes sure to do it. She really is such a good teacher. She teaches at multiple schools in Columbia County. She was my confirmation mentor. She’s really an interesting person.
Gerilyn: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
Wren: I would want to go to Athens, Greece. I’ve always loved Greek mythology, so seeing the Parthenon and all the temples would really be interesting for me. Greek mythology is something I was obsessed with in late elementary school. I’d also love to go to the beach. I have really good memories of beaches in Georgia and South Carolina, and I’d love to go to a beach in Greece. They’re beautiful over there.
Gerilyn: What is your favorite movie, or what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
Wren: Right now, my favorite movie is Marvel: End Game. I followed the entire Marvel series like most people in this area. It was a very stressful movie. I cried during it. I saw it twice. It’s definitely my favorite movie right now. I think a lot of people enjoyed it.
Gerilyn: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
Wren: Be intentional in everything that you do. If you have a goal, you have to take certain steps to get to the goal. If it’s a long-term goal, you have to set short-term goals. Just be intentional in everything you do. Make sure you achieve those short-term milestones to get to your end goal.
Gerilyn: What is something on your bucket list?
Wren: I would like to go back to Peru. I actually spent two weeks in Peru through twirling doing some mission work – general mission work, not church-related. I did general mission work and twirling performances, and I raised money beforehand with my senior project. There was so much of Peru that I didn’t get to see in those two weeks and so many people that I didn’t get to help. Actually, I did help to buy a printer and a computer for a girls’ home and two sewing machines for the boys’ home. They’re learning how to sew so they can sell clothes and make clothes for themselves. There’s so much more that I’d love to do in that country. Selfishly, I would also like to see Machu Picchu. I was up in the north part of Peru in Trujillo, so I didn’t get to see any of Cusco. I would like to see that again.
Gerilyn: What is your favorite music or three bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
Wren: Ed Sheeran – He’s not a band, but I love all of his songs. I think they’re definitely meaningful. Queen – I’ve always loved them, and I rediscovered my love for them with the new movie coming out. The Beatles – That’s kind of a general answer, but so much of rock and roll started because of them. Everybody was just insane about them. I’d love to see them live.
Gerilyn: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Evans?
Wren: Evans Diner. I remember going there as a kid, and they had a jukebox. Not many places have jukeboxes now, so it was really my only interaction with a jukebox. I thought it was so cool. Their grits were really good, and I was really sad when they closed down.
Gerilyn: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Evans would you have lunch?
Wren: I would want to have lunch with this girl that I met while in Peru. Her name is Kiara. There was a charity festival for the coming of spring, and Kiara was the little sister to the queen of the festival. I don’t speak Spanish very well, and she didn’t speak English very well, but we managed to communicate somehow. I follow her on Instagram, and I’ve talked to her some since, but I really would like to show her around my town since I got the honor of going around hers. I think we would go to Twisted Burrito. It’s very different than any of the food you can get in Peru. It has a little bit of a South American/ Mexican kind of feel, but it’s still very different and kind of Southern.
Gerilyn: Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?
Wren: In five years, I’ll have just graduated with my bachelor’s in biology. I actually hope to come back to Augusta University to either go to physician assistant school or medical school. Hopefully in ten years I will be working in a hospital or a clinic with either a MD or a physician’s assistant degree. I haven’t decided what I want to go into. I don’t think I want to do surgery. I don’t think I have steady enough hands, but I’m leaving it open. The cool thing about a PA is that you can switch your fields sometimes by taking a test. So, I’m very much considering that.
Gerilyn: Even for friends or family, what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Wren: I’m both an introvert and an extrovert. Most of the time I tend to show my more extroverted side. When I’m meeting new people I generally tend to talk a lot, and I’m very loud. But I also have moments where I like to be into myself and not talk to as many people. I think it’s a really good balance, but not a lot of people see my quiet side. Sometimes it doesn’t look like I have one.
Gerilyn: What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word “home?”
Wren: Hot, azaleas, and dogs. “Hot” because I’ve always lived in Georgia, and it’s always been painfully hot. That’s what I associate most with home. “Azaleas” because I’ve always had them, and I love going through Evans during Masters Week and seeing all the azaleas. “Dogs” because I’ve always had dogs my entire life. So, those are the things that remind me of home.
