Ann Shelp & Danielle Shelp Streitenberger

May 2026 Issue

by Edwina Hoyle
Photography (top) by Lindsay Pettinicchi Photography, LLC

 

Mother and daughter duo Ann Shelp and Danielle Shelp Streitenberger are grateful to have a close relationship and shared interests. They both love to read, go to the beach, and seek adventure. They even look alike, although Danielle is 30 years younger than her mother: “Mom’s favorite compliment is when we’re asked if we are sisters.”

Throughout their lives, they feel the stars have consistently aligned suggesting their relationship is blessed by pure serendipity. Some interesting and fun examples of this include:

The Shelp family lived near Rochester, NY, and vacationed on Hilton Head Island for more than 20 years. They always stayed in their favorite Sea Cloister condo, and in 2014, Ann and her husband, David, wrote a letter to the owner asking if they could purchase it. During their stay, Danielle, who was on spring break from graduate school, dropped by the Beaufort County School District office and applied for a teaching position because she wanted to work somewhere near a beach after graduation.

On that same day, Danielle was offered a job at Beaufort Elementary School, and her parents’ offer to purchase the condo was accepted.

Ann’s favorite subject is English. “When Danielle started her job, she was given Pat Conroy’s book, The Water is Wide. Danielle gave it to me, and I used his figurative literature to teach in New York. Then, when I moved here, I was inspired to become an ambassador (docent) at the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort.”

Back in Rochester, Ann had a 20-year career as a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher. Coincidentally, when Danielle was in the fourth grade, her classroom was right across the hall from her mother’s. “When I saw my mother, I would go to her and cling to her legs,” Danielle recalled.

Like her mother, Danielle’s first job was teaching fourth grade. She now teaches fifth grade at Pritchardville Elementary School. Ann once visited Danielle’s classroom and beamed when “the kids verified we look like sisters!”

“We both like to talk…and being a teacher, if I need to vent or talk about something that happened in school, I call her to talk about my challenges. We call each other every day,” Danielle said.

Ann recalled, “Kids don’t think they’re good enough to do something. I always told them you never know where life is going to take you. Be open to new experiences.”

Danielle added, “If [my students] are having a problem, I tell them it’s just a baby step. It’s important to make mistakes, that’s how we learn. I usually tell them ‘Little Miss Shelp’ stories about her challenges and try to fill them with humor.”

The two also share a spirit of adventure. Several years ago, they both had milestone birthdays: Ann turned 60, and Danielle turned 30. So, they decided to do something special: They walked 200 miles of the Way of Saint James along the Camino de Santiago. It is among the oldest and most well-known pilgrimage routes which span throughout Europe and converge in Northwestern Spain. The Portuguese Coastal Camino follows the coastline of Portugal into Spain, ultimately to the Cathedral of Santiago, Spain, the resting place of St. James the Apostle.

“We were not part of a group. And it was challenging. There were no rules or lessons we could follow,” Danielle said. “We noticed all the animals on the trail always had a buddy. There were always two, like us. We didn’t know Spanish, but so many people helped us along the way and welcomed us. We had no expectations, no schedule. It was so cool not to be hooked up to phones.”

Ann agreed that it was physically strenuous. “We had to be strong, and we helped each other. It was an amazing feat when we reached our destination. We experienced different traditions, religions, churches, and many kind-hearted people who helped along the way. Thanks to Danielle’s foot care tips, we didn’t get any blisters! And each evening there was fresh bread, cheese, and wine.”

Ann explained that the coastal route is the spiritual route. “We walked along beaches, saw fishing villages, and experienced varied terrain. We missed an arrow on the trail and went the wrong way. I relied on Danielle’s navigational skills.”

Their big birthdays were what started it all, and with that inspiration, they’ve continued their adventures every year or two. They went climbing and repelling in Utah at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park and had a boast exploring Boston and Nashville. Their mother-daughter trips have proven they are wonderful travel companions and equally love the excitement!

“One of us throws something out there, and we decide together,” Danielle said. “We look for something we haven’t done, a new experience. It’s fun to enjoy because we both have adventurous spirits.”

And that is…
the beauty of us!

 

Up Close:

• When Danielle was 14 years old, she didn’t want to eat meat but didn’t like green veggies. Danielle and Ann became vegetarians, and Danielle learned to like vegetables.

• Neither of them like to cook, but they both enjoy baking. Danielle loves to make sour dough bread, and Ann makes delicious brownies and two-layer chocolate cakes with chocolate icing and chocolate chips. Her cakes are always fluffy due to her great grandmother’s special pans.

• Ann and Danielle love to attend the monthly Pink Partini because “they’re a fun night out, in different places, with interesting people, and of course, great prizes.” They also go to concerts, dueling pianos, book festivals and author talks. They both learned to play the clarinet.

• They enjoy Beaufort First Fridays and all festivals. Their husbands, David and Blair, are very supportive of their wives doing things together without them, but they do enjoy joining them for festivals.