What’s your name and what fills your time?
Anne Marie Moquin. I spend a lot of time working on Beaches Go Green, an environmental nonprofit that I founded in 2018. I also travel a lot with family and friends. I have been in the Jax area since 2001. My family has lived in Neptune Beach, then South Ponte Vedra Beach then Atlantic Beach. I’m originally from Michigan and am a graduate of the University of Michigan. I miss the seasons being in FL but do not miss the negative windchill in winter.
Anything special going on for this summer?
I spent a lot of time with my family this summer and it was fantastic. Our boys are young men now and we are taking advantage of all the time with them that we can get. We spent some time this summer in Colorado and the Bahamas – both very nature focused trips with snorkeling and hiking. I always have projects. We have a joke in my house that my piles have piles. I tend to takeover multiple spaces in the house for whatever the project of the time might be. Projects for the summer included working on my food & pollinator garden at the house, of which I am very proud. The garden is finally clicking and I’m seeing beautiful results. I have also been working on Beaches Go Green events and training for BGG student led clubs here in Jax.
Any hobbies or interests worth telling us about?
I’m obsessed with plants. We just changed our landscape to include more FL native plants. In the house, I LOVE Orchids, Bromeliads and Air Plants. My outside garden is an extension of that obsession too. I even added 3 water container gardens (inspired by a trip to Fiji) which are now brimming with lotus plants, water lilies and tadpoles! Travel is always a passion and we’ve created a great lineup for fall & winter.
In the kitchen, I am getting smarter than ever about what we buy, cook and eat. I’ve learned so much about the chemicals in and on our food which is concerning to me. It’s not easy but as a family, we are trying to eat more local, organic and clean food.
What’s one thing (funny, different, cool) that many might not know about you?
Something people may not know about me is that I am very much an introvert. I can hang with the best of them when needed but my favorite thing to do is to be at home with my family and our 3 dogs and 2 cats or working in my garden.
What’s the best part of living here on the First Coast?
We love the First Coast. We could like anywhere and choose to live here. During the summer, I occasionally question our choices but generally love it. We love living at the beach and love the walking/bike riding lifestyle that comes with living here. We love nature – the beach, the ocean, the estuaries and the diversity of life here in FL.
Anything else that you would like to tell the community?
What has connected me more to the community here than anything is giving back through Beaches Go Green. I’ve learned so much and met so many great people. I am grateful for the experiences and the support.
Anne Marie Moquin
Beachesgogreen.org
904.575.1175
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Mike is a native First Coaster and was a leading figure in surfing and skateboarding for most of his life. After promoting music for many years on the local music scene, Mike now brings a unique perspective to FirstCoast.Life as a contributing writer.
