Tisdale gets Koon Award

Sara-Gantt Tisdale moved from Broad Street to Northbridge Terrace nearly 50 years ago. She raised her three children there and watched the neighborhood grow, too — from four homes to nearly 400.

Tisdale cares about the area, and she isn't about to sit idly by and watch it fall apart.

"I love Northbridge Terrace, and I could see it going downhill," she said. "It's a vibrant neighborhood where people want to live, and that's what we keep working for."

Her initiative and many contributions to the West Ashley neighborhood earned Tisdale Charleston's annual Harold Koon Award for public service.

Upon receiving the award from Mayor Joe Riley at the Jan. 22 City Council meeting, the humble Tisdale said, "It's just a great place, and I love it."

"You made it a great place," Riley replied.

The projects she initiated or had a hand in can be seen throughout the neighborhood. Speed humps on Southgate, Northbridge and Dunbarton drives help keep children safe. The impassable drainage ditch along Southgate has been filled in. An Olympic-size swimming pool was built with the help of her fundraising efforts.

She helped maintain the landscaped medians on S.C. highways 171 and 7 until the city took them over. She has pushed for streets to be repaired and lawns to be maintained. And according to one neighbor, she leaves notes on trash cans when they've been left on the street too long.

The neighborhood's annual Halloween celebration is a tradition Tisdale began.

She has been an active member of the Northbridge Terrace Garden Club since 1988, and has served as secretary and president.

In 1999, she formed the Northbridge Terrace Neighborhood Council, serving as president for two years and vice president for six. She's the chairman of block captains and helps distribute the neighborhood newsletter.

She also serves on the Old Charles Towne District Task Force, which is made up of multiple neighborhoods in the area. The group is trying to get a park created at the base of the north bridge and a bike path from the bridge to Charles Towne Landing.

"Sara Tisdale has done so much not just for Northbridge but for the Old Charles Towne District as well," said Kay Long, who nominated Tisdale for the Harold Koon Award. "We call her Mrs. Northbridge."

Long has known Tisdale since Long moved to the neighborhood and joined the garden club six years ago.

"We wouldn't have a lot of things if it wasn't for Sara Tisdale," Long said, citing the neighborhood council, speed humps and maintained roads. Without Tisdale, Northbridge Terrace would have become another older neighborhood instead of a fun and energetic place to live, Long said.

"She has just done yeoman's work without asking for anything."

After being nominated by Long, Tisdale was selected for the award by the Charleston Neighborhood Commission, which is made up of representatives of each City Council district.

The city and the Mazyck- Wraggborough Garden District established the Harold Koon Award in 1998 to honor the late Koon and remember his civic contributions to the city and his neighborhood. Previous recipients are the Rev. Alma Dungee in 1999, Courtenay McDowell in 2000, Robert Ballard in 2001, Valerie Perry in 2002, the Rev. Sidney Davis in 2003, Sarah Green in 2004, Keith Kirkland in 2005, Jack Simmons in 2006 and Arthur Lawrence in 2007.

Tisdale's name will be listed with theirs on a permanent plaque in City Hall. And she'll continue her work in the neighborhood she says is the best she's ever lived in.

"People help each other out," she said. "We care about each other."

Reach Kristen Hankla at 937-5548 or khankla@postandcourier.com.