blue water woman--spring 2012--final

Woman 

blue water 

people places passions professions 

spring 2012 

Best Friends 

forever: 

stephanie ward & tracie steptoe 

free 

check out the 

blue water woman 

BRIDAL GUIDE 

inside!

spring 2012 BlueWaterWoman.com 1

patti samar, 16, left , 

and barb anderson, 16, 

backstage at 

a high school play. 

from the editor 

When I was in eleventh grade, a boy reached over and held my hand while I was sitting 

in a movie theater. As I sat there pondering this, I knew I needed to communicate 

with my best friend – and she was sitting on the other side of the boy. When I glanced 

in her direction, I saw, much to my surprise, that she was, well, holding his other hand. 

The fact that years later, Barb Anderson and I giggled and laughed about that moment 

and the silly boy tells you everything you need to know about women and their 

girlfriends: they stick together. 

This issue of Blue Water Woman is dedicated to women and their best friends, and, 

it is also a bridal guide, which is a rather ironic coincidence. When we get married, do 

we change our alliances with our girlfriends and replace them with our husbands? Nah. 

We’re too smart for that. And smart women know that while our relationships with our 

husbands might help create a path for our lives, it is our girlfriends who meet us along 

the way, providing guidance, support and fun. 

In this issue, you will find stories about women of all ages who have known one 

another for long and short periods of time whose relationships with one another have 

enriched their lives. 

And, you will read about Jeanine Bauman, my own best friend of the past 15-plus 

years. When I met Jeanine, I was lost and feeling very much friendless. Jeanine came 

into my life at a time when I finally felt ready to be a friend again, after suffering both a 

divorce and the loss of my high school and college best friend, Barb. 

Barb was the gal I knew I would ask to be maid of honor in my wedding, and the 

woman I would name godmother to my children. 

But then, she died. 

On a snowy December night in 1985, when we were just 22 years old, Barb and her 

parents perished in a horrific car accident. To say I was devastated was an understatement. 

My entire life flipped upside down. I went into an emotional hibernation. It 

took me years to fully recognize how deeply this loss had affected me. 

And so, through my late 20s and early 30s, I struggled with friendships with women. 

I wanted desperately to replace the void that only a “best friend” can fill, but I was also 

afraid of opening myself up to additional pain. 

And then along came Jeanine. The timing was right. I was truly feeling healed. And her 

quick wit and bright outlook on life reminded me of Barb. She is not a replacement; she 

simply became my new partner in crime. And, the same can be said about many of the 

women I call friends, all of whom play an important role in this rich pageant I call my life. 

And, the fact that, all these years later, I am writing about Barb tells me about the tremendously 

positive impact she made on my life. She set a friendship standard for me and 

I dedicate this issue to her memory. Every day she inspires me to try and be a better friend. 

She, and Jeanine, both make me want to be a better person. And isn’t that what friendship 

is all about? 

Peace & Friendship, 

Patti Samar 

Editor & Publisher 

Blue Water Woman 

content 

people 

Stephanie Ward & Tracie Steptoe 6 

Jeanine Bauman 10 

professions 

Janice Rose & Donna Kalmeta 8 

passions 

Stitching Gals 4 

places 

Bridal Guide 15 

Chelsey Fruin 

Sara Rivard 

Mary Loznak 

volume 2, number 1 

spring 2012 

Blue Water Woman is published quarterly by The Write Company, 

3155 Armour Street, Port Huron, MI 48060. Circulation 7,500. 

Editor & Publisher: Patti Samar, owner, The Write Company 

Advertising: Patti Samar at 810-987-1256 or pjsamar@aol.com 

Subscriptions: To receive Blue Water Woman at home, mail $25 to: 

Blue Water Woman, 3155 Armour Street, Port Huron, MI 48060 

News releases can be emailed to pjsamar@aol.com 

Questions or comments? 

Call Blue Water Woman at 810-987-1256 

Mission: Blue Water Woman is the premiere publication 

for women living, working and playing 

in the Blue Water Area of Michigan. 

Its stories and features are written and designed 

to be inspirational, motivational and encouraging. 

© Blue Water Woman is the property 

of Patti Samar of The Write Company. 

2 spring 2012 BlueWaterWoman.com


passions stitching gals, st. clair 

stitching gals: back row from left: Marlene Rose, Joanne Seibel, Coreen 

Isworski, Rose Ellis. front row from left: Vicki Kling, Dianne Neiman, Janelle 

Cavis, Lynne Hollweg, Deb Maxwell 

Gathering a gaggle 

by Patti Samar 

Not sure how many women are in a gaggle, but it sure seemed to 

be a gathering of a gaggle. 

Nine women, ranging in age from 51 to 61, had gathered together 

in someone’s living room, their laps full of craft projects, the 

air filled with laughter and warmth. No less than three conversations 

were going on at the same time. And, just when you thought 

someone was fully engaged in one conversation, she would toss a 

comment over her shoulder to one of the other conversations taking 

place across the room. 

No doubt, the evening was full of fun. However, there was also a 

quiet undercurrent of support for one particular woman, who had 

quietly talked to several of the women as they arrived, with tears in 

her eyes, about a phone conversation she had just before coming to 

meet her friends for the evening. 

Those who heard her story gave her a quick comment of support. 

Some of the late-comers didn’t hear her story. As the evening 

progressed, she was particularly quiet. According to her friends, she 

just didn’t seem like her “usual” self. 

“Why are you so quiet, Rosella?” one of the late-comers asked. 

Before Rosella could answer, one of her girlfriends quickly spoke 

up to help her friend avoid more tears. “Her son called tonight. He 

leaves for Afghanistan tomorrow.” 

A hush fell across the room for a moment, quickly followed by a 

flurry of supportive comments. 

This, indeed, was women’s friendship at its best. 

Meet the Stitching Gals. 

According to Deborah Maxwell, 51, of Kimball, the Stitching 

Gals first began getting together when some of them met through 

a community education class in St. Clair almost 25 years ago that 

taught cross stitching. By the time the class ended, the women 

had bonded so they decided to continue meeting to work on their 

stitching projects once a week. They rotate homes throughout the 

year. 

Even more impressive? The group hasn’t missed a week in all of 

that time, though individual members do not attend every week. 

“Church groups don’t last this long,” said Maxwell with a laugh. 

How has the group been able to maintain such momentum over 

the years? The answer is easy, said member Vicki Kling. “It’s important. 

If you miss a week, you begin to feel disconnected.” 

On the evening a reporter visited with them, a text came from a 

member who was on vacation in Florida. “She says hello to everyone!” 

Over the years, the women have been through many personal 

victories and some sad moments with one another. Their children 

– now mostly grown – were all in high school at approximately the 

same time and that even helped with their child raising, particularly 

in a smaller community like St. Clair, where many went to school. 

“Instead of just our two eyes on our kids, we felt like we had 20 

sets of eyes on our kids” when including their husbands, said Kling. 

Interestingly, over the years, the group has only experienced 

one divorce. The others are all long-time married women whose 

husbands have been very supportive of their desire and need to 

maintain their strong female friendships. 

“Our husbands tease and refer to us as the hens,” said Maxwell. 

“But they are interested. When we get home, they will all ask, 

‘What’s new with the hens?’” said Kling. 

On this particular evening, the conversations ranged from 

discussion of mother-of-the-bride dresses (one gal asked her friend 

incredulously, “How could you buy a dress without consulting 

with us?”), to admiring one another’s clothing, to oohing and awing 

over the scrumptious dessert prepared by the hostess. And then 

there was the quiet support given to Rosella, worried about her son. 

And Rosella, who relaxed and literally seemed to melt into the 

couch as she distracted herself by listening to the laughter of her 

girlfriends, quietly acknowledged the importance of these women 

to her: “It’s a support group.” 



S 

people 

stephanie ward, fort gratiot, & tracie steptoe, port huron 


Best Friends 

forever 


Stephanie Ward, 31, of Fort Gratiot and Tracie Steptoe, 31, 

of Port Huron, have known each other so long, they don’t even 

remember when they met. 

They knew each other in elementary school, but their memories 

are fuzzy regarding any first encounter. But both can immediately 

pinpoint the moment when they became best friends in seventh 

grade. 

Those early days were filled with sleepovers at one another’s 

homes where Tracie marveled at farm chores Stephanie completed 

each day, and Stephanie was entranced with Tracie’s bedroom 

television. Though their home lives were distinctively different, 

a shared perspective on life, and a comfortable easiness with one 

another that is filled with laughter – lots and lots of laughter – built 

a strong bond between the two. 

Almost 20 years later, the two very different young women – who 

can and do finish one another’s sentences like an old married 

couple – cannot imagine what their lives would have been like had 

they not found one another. 

of her four younger sisters, all of whom are in high school and college. 

“I’ve got so much to deal with all the time at home,” she said. 

She noted that having Steptoe organize the “fun” time in her life is 

a luxury she isn’t otherwise afforded. 

“She knows I’m much like a kindergartener in that I will wander 

around a store or wherever we are, taking my own time, and she 

will budget that extra time for me into our itinerary. She doesn’t 

mind,” said Ward. 

Steptoe immediately added: “She has so many other things to 

worry about all of the time; I can do that for her.” 

The Wedding Planner 

There was no question the two would stand in one another’s 

weddings. Both got married in 2007 when Stephanie married Nick 

Ward of Fort Gratiot, and Tracie married Dan Steptoe of Port 

Huron. 

Steptoe’s organizational skills are so superb, said Ward, “I didn’t 

“We’re just so comfortable ‘being.’ We don’t expect anything from each other.” 

Opposites Attract 

Ward is diminutive, shy and soft-spoken. An aesthetician who is 

employed by Spa 223 in downtown Port Huron, Ward has a quiet 

confidence about her, especially when talking about her work. She 

is passionate about taking care of her clients and helping them with 

their skin care needs. She is a believer in taking a holistic approach 

to health and life. She is not disorganized, but life can head in 

many directions at one time for her. 

Steptoe is opposite in some ways, very much like Ward in others. 

A teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School in Port Huron, she loves 

children and teaching. She is outspoken and never hesitates to 

express her opinion. She is clearly confident in herself, she is highly 

organized, very pragmatic and extremely practical. 

“She’s always brutally honest with me when I dress myself,” said 

Ward with a laugh, whose personal style is distinctive and hippiechick-chic. 

“I’m the controller and the organizer,” said Steptoe with a laugh. 

For example, the two have taken numerous vacations together. “I’ll 

plan the trip. I tell her where to go and what to do. I’ll give her an 

itinerary.” 

This is all fine with Ward, who, following the death of her 

mother a few years ago, has taken on a more active role in the lives 

have any responsibilities at Tracie’s wedding,” she said with a 

laugh, noting Steptoe’s wedding took place on Mackinac Island. 

“I remember getting in the car to head up there and she had her 

folder with her little tabs all organized.” 

Steptoe laughed. “I have a little bit of a control issue and I’m 

working on it.” 

Mutual Love and Respect 

But regardless of these innate differences, the two share an obvious 

mutual respect and love for one another. 

“What I love most about Stephanie is her generosity,” said 

Steptoe. “She would do anything for anyone else. She always puts 

everyone ahead of herself…both good and bad…and she’s always 

there when I need her, all of the time.” 

Ward is quick to point out the levity that Steptoe brings to her 

life. “She’s the person who makes me laugh more than anyone 

else,” she said. “I just enjoy everything about our friendship.” 

“What makes us work so well,” said Steptoe, “is there are no expectations. 

We’re just so comfortable just ‘being’. We don’t expect 

anything from each other. When we’re old and gray, we’ll be fine 

with just sitting on a porch together watching the lake.” 

“We’re perfectly content with each other,” said Ward. 


professions 

janice rose, port huron 

& donna kalmeta, port huron 

Shattering 

the glass ceiling 


8 spring 2012 BlueWaterWoman.com 

TThey’ve broken the glass ceiling. Times two. 

Janice Rose, CCE, 58, president and CEO of E & A Credit 

Union of Port Huron, and Donna Kalmeta, 47, chair of the E & 

A Board of Directors, have developed a close professional – and 

personal – bond while working together at E & A. 

Rose, who has worked within the credit union industry for more 

than 40 years, has served as president and CEO at E & A for more 

than 10 years and, prior to Kalmeta’s appointment as board chair, 

had always worked with a male chair. 

“We share a little more personal relationship than I did with the 

men who were chair,” said Rose of her relationship with Kalmeta. 

“Donna and I get down to business, but we bring more personal 

information to the conversation. It’s more relaxed.” 

The women have developed a friendship that has given them both 

personal joy and professional benefit to E & A as they have worked 

together to create a work culture that benefits both employees and 

credit union members. 

Rose noted that years ago in the financial services industry, 

women had to work harder to prove themselves. Kalmeta, who is 

an owner of Prime Office Innovations based in Shelby Township, 

noted that even in her business, there have been times when someone 

assumed she was a “lesser” partner because she was a woman. 

At E & A, the two are clearly in charge. 

Rose is proud of the fact that during her tenure as CEO, the 

credit union has won accolades for its policies that accommodate 

employees. She has worked hard to build a work environment that 

fosters and values its employees. And happy employees, in turn, 

provide credit union members with good service. 

“We’ve gotten so many awards based on employee feedback,” 

said Rose. She noted that in 2011, E & A was named one of the 

50 Most Engaged Employers and was named a 2011 Free Press 

Employer of the Year. 

“Work wasn’t as accommodating to me when I was starting out 

and now, we work really hard to accommodate our employees and 

balance their work lives and their home lives.” 

The two noted that one of the reasons they have been able to 

achieve that is because women put more emphasis on relationship 

building. 

The fact that the two of them have become friends has definitely 

had a positive impact on their working relationship, as well. 

“I enjoy her company,” said Kalmeta, “and I don’t have a background 

in financial institutions, so our relationship not only helps 

me in the board room, but in my business, as well.” 

Rose noted that Kalmeta’s private industry background is beneficial 

to E & A, too. 

“It’s great to have Donna’s perspective as a business owner so we 

can serve the business community better,” she said. 

Rose noted that she feels very fortunate to be able to work so 

closely with Kalmeta and to have the opportunity to help others as a 

result of the two of them working together. 

“The credit union philosophy is all about people helping people,” 

she said. “To be in a position to make that difference in people’s 

lives and help them achieve financial dreams by providing my staff 

with a good place to work and affecting their family and their lives 

has always been rewarding.”

community. 

connection. 

Woman’s Life: 

A 

connecting women. 

group of women in North Street recently held a Mom-to-Mom sale. 

Another group of women in Port Huron regularly raises money to help 

Athe developmentally disabled, while yet another group of women in Yale 

Arecently raised money to help a woman with cancer. 

Who are these women and why are they getting together to have fun 

Aand help others? All of these activities were organized by local chapters 

Aof Woman’s Life Insurance Society, an organization founded by women, 

for women, that connects women so they can have fun together; they 

can help others together; they can stay healthy together; and they can 

take care of their personal financial security. 

Double Your Impact 

Woman’s Life is all about the connections women make with one 

another and with their communities. The beauty of women connecting 

through Woman’s Life is that membership can enhance their efforts by 

providing matching funds and grants that in many cases may double 

their financial impact on the important community causes they wish to 

support. For example, a Woman’s Life chapter might request a grant to 

support the construction of playground equipment at a neighborhood 

elementary school. Or, they might wish to support a homeless shelter by 

doing a fundraiser in which case the money they raise may be matched 

dollar for dollar by Woman’s Life. That can mean significant dollars to 

the organization they care about. 

“Women want to belong and believe that what they do is significant,” 

said Janice Whipple, National President of Woman’s Life. Woman’s 

Life connects women with other women who care. And, Woman’s Life 

gives women an opportunity to make a difference together, to make a 

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cause. 

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Chances are, no matter how busy you are, you try to spend at least 

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Interested in Starting a Woman’s Life Chapter 

with Your Friends? 

Start with 10 of your best friends. Identify a cause important to you 

and then call us. We can get your group of friends chartered together in 

a new local chapter of Woman’s Life. 

How Do You Become a Member? 

Annual dues of $50 are required for members who do not hold life or 

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We invite you to become actively involved. For more information and 

to receive a kit about the benefits of membership that you can share with 

your girlfriends, contact the Woman’s Life Marketing Department at 

800-521-9292. 

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people 

jeanine bauman, port huron 

jeanine bauman, left, 

& bff patti samar 

Polar opposites 


There are many, many reasons Jeanine Bauman, 41, of Port Huron, 

should not be my best friend. 

On many days, I cannot think of two women who are more different 

than Jeanine and I. I am Laverne (loud and brash) to her Shirley 

(demure and innocent). I am Ethel (always the straight man) to her 

Lucy (she is one of the funniest women I know). I want desperately to 

be Mary to her Rhoda, but truth be told, she is good, sweet and kind 

Mary. I am, well, Rhoda. 

She is not married to her boyfriend, but they have been one of the 

most solidly-together couples I know for going on 20 years. In the same 

time frame, I have been married, divorced and through an assortment 

of boyfriends. My longest running relationship with anyone male was 

with my cat, at 18 years. And he died. 

Jeanine was born and raised in the Blue Water Area and likes and 

needs the security of home, hearth, her family and her job all near and 

dear to her, as they have always been. My entire family now lives 1,500 

miles away from me, my longtime boyfriend lives 500 miles away from 

me and in 10 years, he’ll be tied with the cat as my longest-running 

relationship with a male. Where Jeanine craves security and stability, I 

am footloose and fancy-free. 

I could go on, but I think you get the picture: we are vastly different 

women. 

I’m not quite sure what she sees in me, nor what, exactly, I bring to 

her life as a friend, but I know exactly what she brings to me and the list 

is long. 


First and foremost, she is a far better person than I am. In all of the 

years we’ve been friends, I have never – and I mean never – heard her 

say an unkind word about someone else. That’s not to say that she never 

vents about the people she loves and even those she doesn’t care much 

for, but she is never, ever unkind. She always gives others the benefit of 

the doubt. I can’t do that. It is a quality in her that I get up every single 

day and try to emulate…and almost every single day I fail miserably. 

But she inspires me and I admire her and love her for it. 

She makes me want to be a better person. 

Jeanine and I are not the stereotype of BFFs. We don’t take weekend getaways 

together. We don’t head to the mall for a day of retail therapy. But, 

together, we have more fun running around the aisles of WalMart than 

any two people should ever have. She just “gets” me and my goofiness. 

I once returned from vacation to find new scarves hanging from curtain 

rods in my bedroom windows because I had lamented I couldn’t 

hang them as beautifully as she can. After she bought her first home, 

she returned home from an evening out to find the entire exterior twinkling 

and awash in Christmas lights because I knew she didn’t have time 

and I did. That is just the kind of thing we do for one another. 

She is one of my biggest personal cheerleaders and I can count on her 

for anything. I hope, with all of my heart, that she feels the same way 

about me because I can’t imagine there being a time when I wouldn’t 

drop everything and do anything for her. 

She is, without a doubt, one of the great loves of my life and I’m so glad 

she chose me to be her best friend, out of all of the best friends she could have 

chosen. I am honored and privileged to call her my best friend.



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sara rivard, port huron 

hat little girl doesn’t dream 

of dancing in a big white 

wedding dress and riding off with 

Prince Charming someday? 

The months of planning that walk down the aisle can 

feel like an eternity to a bride, but a gal’s wedding day just 

flies by, according to a number of Blue Water Area brides. 

These local women have been kind enough to offer their 

advice and insight to future brides. To learn more about the 

dos and don’ts of planning your wedding, turn the page and 

read on! 


chelsey fruin, marysville 

W orry not 

Chelsey Fruin, 24, of Marysville 

Married Luke Langmesser, 24, 

on October 22, 2011 

What she worried about: 

“I worried about every little detail. I wanted a small wedding 

and my husband wanted something bigger. I’m detail oriented 

and I would let stress get to me very easily. We had an adult only 

reception and we had people mad about that. I tend to worry 

about what people think, which is not good. 

“I worried about people not knowing people, or what if they 

didn’t have people to talk to. I worried about, ‘Am I doing 

enough for our wedding party? Am I getting them nice enough 

gifts?” 

What brought her back to reality: 

“I was trying to focus on: it’s just one day and we’re getting 

married and that’s what’s important…being married and what 

happens after the wedding.” 



After it was over and done, she realized: 

“It came and went so fast and the little details didn’t really 

matter. For example, I had made the seating chart all up and 

people would come up to me at the reception and tell me they 

were changing the seats. They were moving chairs from one table 

to another and they would change the seats. I was just like, ‘You 

know what? I can’t worry about it.’ Things just kind of happen 

and you just have to make the most of it.” 

What she recommends other brides do: 

“It goes really fast, so do a couple of big things that you know 

you want to do and when the day really comes just enjoy it. It 

just flies by. Do the things that mean something to you as a 

couple, because it is ultimately about the two of you getting 

married.”

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Under Control 


Sara (Campbell) Rivard, 26, of Port Huron 

Married Frank Rivard, 30, 

on September 18, 2010 

sara rivard, port huron 


What she remembers of her wedding day: “I was kind of 

surprised by how everything came together that day. I spent so 

much attention to detail and that day I don’t remember looking 

at anything I did or planned for.” 

What she worried about: “Looking back, I would tell myself, 

‘Don’t worry about stuff I can’t control.’ For example, I was 

really set on getting married outside and it rained that day. We 

planned the wedding outside and we ended up having to get 

married in our hall. We had a back-up plan, so it worked out.” 

What she is glad she spent money on: “A videographer. I have 

that to watch because the day 

goes by so fast. I’m happy I spent 

“Don’t wear 

five inch 

heels! My 

feet were 

throbbing 

for days… 

but they 

were cute! 

more on my venue and pictures 

and video and less on the other 

things.” 

What does she wish she hadn’t 

spent as much money on: “I 

probably wouldn’t have spent so 

much on invitations. I spent more 

money on some things I planned 

at the beginning. I would do some 

of that differently now. You find 

out, as you go, that the costs really 

do add up.” 

What she wore, what she didn’t, 

and what she wishes she hadn’t: 

“Don’t wear five inch heels! My 

feet were throbbing for days…but 

they were cute! I bought two wedding 

dresses because one was supposed 

to be for the reception. Then, that day I thought, ‘I can’t 

justify wearing a dress for an hour.’ I decided I would wear the 

second dress when we renewed our vows. I’ll wear it one day.” 

Who planned her wedding: “I planned most of my wedding. 

Frank was out of state working and most of my bridal party 

lived out of state. Frank cared about the DJ and having his 

favorite fancy beer at the bar. He was pretty easy going. I was 

stressed out. We got married at Fore Lakes and they were awesome 

out there. 

“There’s so much hype about having your friends doing 

everything for your wedding, like they should plan your shower 

and be there for you through everything. I didn’t mind doing 

everything myself. Everyone has lives outside of your wedding. 

It’s important to remember that and not ask too much of your 

bridal party.”


mary loznak, st. clair 

inding Focus 


Mary (Kuffa) Loznak, 25, of St. Clair 

Married Mark Loznak 

on June 18, 2011 

Her best advice: “Make the bridal party small or manageable. I 

made the mistake of asking more than 20 people to be in my bridal 

party. I had to make sure all of these people had coordinating attire; I 

had to buy bridal gifts for them all; and I had to make sure they were all 

in the same place, at the same time, for the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, 

the ceremony and pictures afterwards. This caused way too much chaos 

and ended up being very expensive for me, and for them! If I went back, 

I would have chosen my siblings and one or two close friends for each 

side.” 

Her second best advice: “My next advice would be to find one 

thing that is really important to you, such as flowers, the photographer, 

food, location, or your dress and splurge on that one item. My splurge 

was the flowers and centerpieces. I had to try not to get caught up in 

everything, and stay focused on that one thing that really was going to 

make my day special. If not, I would have spent A LOT more money 

on things such as my dress, transportation, photography, and wedding 

favors.” 

Her third piece of advice: “Barter with vendors! A vendor’s main 


concern is booking as many events as possible. One of the fun things 

I did was have a photobooth during the reception. This allowed my 

guests to loosen up and do something fun and have a nice memento 

from the night. I looked up several photobooth vendors, and there was 

one in particular that I really wanted to book. He did a friend’s birthday 

party, and I loved the service I received. I asked him to meet me at a 

realistic price or I’d have to take my business elsewhere. Sure enough, he 

met me at my price, and even threw in some extras. My motto during 

the wedding planning process was ‘Ask, and you shall receive.’ People 

know you’re going to spend the money, and they want it to be with 

them!” 

Fatherly Wisdom: “The most important and useful advice I got was 

from my father. He told me to go around to each table and thank them 

for coming. There were people I hadn’t seen in years! I can sit back today 

and go table by table and remember every guest who was at my wedding. 

This also prevented people from pulling us aside all night to say ‘hello’ 

or ask how things were going. It also was great to hear that everyone was 

having a good time at something that we spent over a year planning! I 

can’t count how many weddings I went to where the bride and groom 

didn’t even acknowledge my existence until I was leaving and I had to 

hunt them down to say goodbye. I promised myself I’d never be ‘that 

bride.’ It took just over an hour to visit with 200 guests, and I wouldn’t 

have spent that hour any other way. It was great catching up with everyone, 

and I enjoyed making every one of my guests feel appreciated.”

w.o.o. who directory ads 

w.o.o. who directory ads: 

just $125! 

Woo hoo! You want to make sure the Blue Water Area knows 

about the business you own or operate. The W.O.O. Who! ad 

directory might be the place for you! W.O.O. Who! stands 

for “Women Owned and/or Operated" Who. Make sure 

the business you own or operate is a part of the w.o.o. who 

directory! The next ad deadline is April 1, 2012 for the May 

2012 issue of Blue Water Woman. 

make sure your business 

is included! 

The very first Blue Water Woman of the Year will be featured in 

the May 2012 issue. Reserve your advertising space today and 

make sure your business is in front of all of the women who are 

truly the “who’s who” of the Blue Water Area!

blue water woman--spring 2012--final

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