Head North to Northport, Michigan for a Garden Tour!
Many of us who live in Northern Michigan love gardens and we love supporting our community. That’s why I’m excited about the Northport Area Heritage Association’s garden tour in Northport this summer. It’s a fundraiser for the local society that runs the Northport museum.
The tour will be Wednesday, July 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature eight local gardens, each with a diverse take on gardening. The gardens are (in semi-alphabetical order):
Barbara McCann’s Sun and Shade Gardens
Field of Flowers North: A Floral Designer’s Garden
Kathryn Frerich’s Lakeside Garden
Kathy Garthe’s No-Till Vegetable Garden
Northport Public School Hoop House Garden
Northport Public School Rain Garden
Saving Birds Thru Habitat’s Native Plant Gardens
Sharon Golm’s Cottage Garden
Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be blogging about each of these gardens and the inspiration behind them. We’ll also share some photos with you so you can anticipate your journey if you can attend. And we’ll share some of the favorite gardening books, tools and products.
If you’re not in Michigan we hope you’ll enjoy visiting these gardens vicariously. If you are in Michigan, especially Northern Michigan this day’s event would be a great summertime outing.
Tickets are $25 for adults; children and students are free. They will be sold in advance at Tamarack Gallery in Omena and at The Pennington Collection and the Northport Area Heritage Association Museum in Northport.
This picture of the M-22 sign directing people north was found on Dreamstime.com. It’s ID is 25427746 © 22north.
Creative and targeted programs that make an impact are the hallmark of experienced marketing professional Ruth Steele Walker. Focusing on results that improve the bottom line, she accelerates projects from conception to implementation with a mastery of writing, production, placement, budgeting and coordination.
During more than 25 years with Foremost Corporation of America, the nation's leading insurer of manufactured housing and recreational vehicles, Walker consistently produced effective communications programs that resulted in increased net written premium. Her expertise in crisis communications was a vital part of Foremost's exemplary customer service in the wake of hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. Walker specializes in communications targeting the 50+ demographic, with an emphasis in communications for the 65+ segment.
Among other achievements, Walker developed communications for the merger of Foremost and Farmers Insurance, addressing audiences including customers, employees, trade and consumer media. For Foremost's 50th anniversary, she created a celebration program of internal and external promotions, special events, recognition and a 162-page commemorative book.
Earlier in her career, Walker was a newspaper reporter, a TV and radio producer, and worked in national sales and traffic at network TV affiliates. Walker earned a BA in journalism from Michigan State University and an MS in communications from Grand Valley State University.
She and her husband Scott operate a small vineyard in Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula, producing premium vinifera wine grapes. The vineyard has been the largest local supplier for Suttons Bay wine label L. Mawby, recently named one of the world's top producers of sparkling wines.
