Blue Water Woman

06/02/2024

Check out the latest news from Blue Water Woman magazine and The Write Company in our monthly newsletter...
https://conta.cc/3UucpPu

31/01/2024

What's that? You're looking for tickets to the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards? Oh yes, we most certainly can set. you. up. ;) Link to purchase the tickets on EventBrite:

Honoring Six Incredible Blue Water Woman Award Recipients

31/01/2024

Super honored to present the final 2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Award notification to...Jessica Totty, who has been named the Blue Water Woman Community Activist of the Year. Jessica does so much for our community. She is a nurse, she works in risk management at Lake Huron Medical Center, she is a pastor, she serves on the school board for the Port Huron Schools and, well, so, so, so much more. We are looking forward to sharing her story on March 13 at the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony at the McMorran Theatre. Tickets go on sale February 1 (or sooner!). Watch this space!!! Congratulations, Jessica! Our community is so fortunate to have you!

30/01/2024

Tonight our prize patrol was out and about in downtown Port Huron and we are over the moon excited to share with you...drum roll please...that Amanda Hurtubise, M.D., has been named THE Blue Water Woman of the Year! Dr. Hurtubise, through her medical practice as an OB/GYN, has long been a champion for women's health, but she took her volunteer efforts to a new level over the past year when she established the nonprofit the Blue Water Allies, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting those in the LGBTQ community and those who love and care for them, and the Blue Water Ally Center. We can't wait to share her story with you on March 13 at the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards at the McMorran Place Theatre. (P.S. -- We have one more award to announce this week...who will she be???)

30/01/2024

It was just another Monday at the Blue Water Woman offices, where we prepped and presented TWO more Blue Water Woman of the Year award notifications today! Congratulations to Catherine Woolman, assistant superintendent for the Port Huron Schools, who was named the Blue Water Woman Public School Administrator of the Year! Catherine has had a tremendous impact on the educational value of the academic programs offered through the Port Huron Schools. We look forward to sharing more of her story with you at the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards on March 13 at the McMorran Place Theatre!

25/01/2024

Let's give it up for the 2024 Blue Water Woman Legal Professional of the Year Victoria (Tori) Ferres! An attorney, Tori recently argued a case in front of the United States Supreme Court. She is one of the youngest -- if not THE youngest -- female attorneys to have the opportunity to do so. Prior to arguing in front of the SCOTUS, she had won a case at the U.S. Court of Appeals. Congratulations, Tori, for your stellar professional record. We look forward to sharing more about your story on March 13 at the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony.

25/01/2024

Drum roll, please! Super happy to share with you that the 2024 Blue Water Woman Distinguished Veteran of the Year is Wendy Martindale, the Veteran Navigator at St. Clair County Community Mental Health! We are super excited about sharing Wendy's story with you at the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony on March 13! Congratulations, Wendy! Thank you for all you do to help veterans in St. Clair County!

24/01/2024

My favorite time of the year is here! Today, we notified the first of SIX Blue Water Woman of the Year award recipients! The 2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Volunteer of the Year is Cheryl Flanagan! Cheryl spends a tremendous amount of time volunteering, with many hours every week spent helping kids at the YMCA of the Blue Water Area. Congratulations, Cheryl! We can't wait to share your story with the entire community!

08/01/2024

Oh. My. Goodness. To say I am humbled and a little overwhelmed is an understatement. By 5 p.m. this past Friday, at the deadline for Blue Water Woman nominations, I had received a record-breaking 23 nominations. Twenty three nominations doesn't just break the record, it smashes it wide open. Previously, the record was 15. And, not only are there 23 nominations, there are 23 ULTRA DESERVING nominations. Soooo many good candidates this year! That is both encouraging and heartbreaking because, sadly, I cannot have 23 people on the stage with me at the awards ceremony in March.

Almost every year, I have received between 10 and 15 nominations, which always seemed like a nice, manageable number. This feels a little overwhelming, especially with so many clearly deserving candidates. So, over the weekend, I reached out to a few more friends around the country, none in southeastern Michigan, and yet all w/Yooper ties to me, and asked for additional help in judging this year's nominations. I want as many eyes on this as possible to help make some tough decisions.

The most interesting thing is this: I think I know everyone in the community. (LOL, not really, but sometimes, it DOES feel a little like that, especially when I'm out grocery shopping or running errands and I see so. many. people. I know.)

BUT: so many of this year's nominees are women I'VE NEVER HEARD OF. Their names are completely unknown to me. Sometimes I've heard of the organizations for which they work or volunteer, but definitely not all.

Lesson learned, Patti: Please, please, please share with me names of women in our community who are making an impact in any corner of our Blue Water Area lives, no matter how big or small. I want to do stories about them throughout the year, not just at awards time.

In a week or two, once the judging is complete, I will reach out to ALL nominators...and I know some will be really disappointed when told their nominee will not receive an award this year. BUT: That does not mean she will NEVER receive an award because I will encourage the nominators to please resubmit the nomination next year. Per above, there are more deserving women than I can possibly award in one year in this year's pool of nominees.

Trust me when I say my own heart is broken by this revelation.

BUT: I DO look forward to celebrating those whose stories stand out, for any number of reasons. And, I am so beyond humbled that so many people took the time to put together a nomination. That tells me that this awards program has become an important event in our community and that people look forward to celebrating women in our community. I could die a happy person now if that means I have somewhat accomplished my goal of shining a light on the women in the Blue Water Area.

So thank you. Thank you to all of the nominators and to all who are serving as references (if needed to confirm accomplishments).

Publishing Blue Water Woman magazine is the greatest honor of my professional life. Thank you to all of the advertisers who support its mission and make it happen, to all of the readers who let me know they enjoy the stories, and to the entire Blue Water Area for continuing to supply me with an unending supply of great women and story ideas.

Fondly,
Patti
p.s. -- If you nominated someone and you did NOT receive a "thank you for your nomination" email from me, please reach out immediately. Thank you.

03/01/2024

If you've been thinking about nominating someone for a Blue Water Woman of the Year award, but haven't had time due to the holidays, you've now got no excuse! There's still time! The deadline is this Friday, January 5... The nomination process is easy-peasy. Nominations are rolling in. Make sure your friends/family join the ranks of the women who have been honored the past 12 years! https://bluewaterwoman.com/blue-water-woman-of-the-year

21/12/2023

Who doesn't love a "feel good" story this time of year? Blue Water Woman (and ThumbCoast Senior) advertiser Lake Huron Medical Center did a good thing this week. Staff there donated lots of useful goodies to Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Port Huron. Cheers to those good souls who are helping care for children in our community who are in need. Thank you, Lake Huron Medical Center! :)

The Giving Tree items were donated and collected from Dec. 1 to Dec. 18. Items received included coats, hats, boots and socks.

20/12/2023

Extra, extra, read all about it! Check out the latest issue of the Blue Water Woman Newsletter! And don't forget: the deadline for Blue Water Woman of the Year nominations is Friday, January 5, 2024. You can find the nomination form inside the newsletter. We know you know the next award recipient! Nominate her today!

Blue Water Woman Newsletter:
https://conta.cc/3RPuXIm

11/12/2023

I ran into Santa TWICE on Saturday! The first time, Saturday afternoon in Marine City, the second time, that evening at a local watering hole pounding beers. Um, maybe a little bit of Peppermint Patti was too much for the Jolly Old Elf to take???? 😉

Are you ready to get YOUR jolly on this Wednesday for the Blue Water Woman Recreation & Mischief Club Holly Jolly Holiday Hike? We're meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the south end of Lakeside Park, hiking south through the Sherman Woods neighborhood to Lighthouse Beach, and then back to Sherman Woods for a beach fire, champagne toast and chocolates! The weather looks PERFECT...36 degrees!!! So layer up and laugh!

This hike is approximately 2.5 to 3 miles round trip, so make your decision to come based on if you are able bodied and well enough to traverse that distance without assistance. Also: We might be "off roading" a little on non-paved surfaces. DON'T FORGET TO P*E BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME!!! 😉

And finally: LIGHT UP THE NIGHT! Come wearing festive Christmas lights, tinsel, and garland! PLEASE BRING A FLASHLIGHT as some of the hike may take place on a roadway without sidewalks and we want to be seen!

I'll bring the jingle bells in case anyone wants to break out in song! 😉
P.S. -- If you are planning to attend, please visit the Blue Water Woman Recreation & Mischief Club page, find this event, and register (free!) there. I need a head count. Thank you! :)

27/11/2023

Have you joined the Blue Water Woman Recreation & Mischief Club yet? If not, use Facebook search to find our page! We are getting ready to host our annual Holly Jolly Holiday Hike! All are welcome...the details are below...PLEASE REGISTER on our FB page...look for the "Events" page and let us know you are coming! :) Ho ho ho! (p.s. -- If you are new to the group, please read our group RULES, pinned at the top of the page...this group is for women 21+ years of age, no children allowed, no pets allowed and no mean girls allowed. The Blue Water Woman Recreation & Mischief Club is an open and inclusive club. Women from all walks of life are welcome to join us.

Deets re: the December Holly Jolly Holiday Hike:

Ho ho ho! Our Holly Jolly Holiday Hike will take place beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13 at the south end of the Lakeside Park parking lot. We will hike south to Lighthouse Beach where we will turn around and head back north along the Conger sidewalk, ending our walk at the Sherman Woods Beach, where, weather permitting, my husband will have a fire going for us. (I have a back up plan if weather does not permit!) Dress warmly/layer up/dress for the weather.

THIS IS A TWO TO THREE MILE HIKE, ROUND TRIP. Please know you can hike this distance if you come!!!

PLEASE NOTE: There are not any benches or "resting places" along this hike. It is a residential neighborhood. This hike will likely involve "off roading" meaning there may be locations where we are not on the roadway or a sidewalk, so it is strongly recommended that you be able-bodied and steady on your feet and know you can hike this distance without calling 9-1-1.

I do NOT want to discourage people from attending, but I also am NOT a paramedic nor a medical professional of any kind.

Also: this group is NOT a babysitting service for those who might struggle to walk this distance. Everyone who attends wishes to participate for her own enjoyment and participants do NOT wish to babysit for others in the group.

This event will take place in the DARK and on uneven surfaces, so before deciding to attend this event, make sure that is in your comfort zone, as well.

All participants MUST sign our waiver. It is posted on our FB page.
Also: once we are on the beach, please keep the following in mind: This is a PRIVATE BEACH owned by numerous homeowners/me/my neighbors. The beach is "put to bed" for the winter, so there are no chairs, etc. there. But we can stand around the fire to chat and keep warm.

Please be respectful of my neighbors and our property.

ALSO -- SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Use the restroom before you leave home because there are no "facilities" open at Lakeside or Lighthouse Beach, and there are no "facilities" on the Sherman Woods Beach. (And no, you CANNOT use my house).

This group will NOT be responsible if you are arrested for indecent exposure for p*eing along the way (as I understand some participants did last year). Peeing exposed in public places or on people's lawns is NOT legal and NOT cool! If you can't hold your p*e for two to three miles, this might not be the hike for you!!!

Once we reach the beach, we will toast the holidays with chocolate and champagne! This should be a super fun event! Hope to see you all there! P.S. -- BRING A FLASHLIGHT...and festive, lighted attire is encouraged!!! (p.s. -- Beach-moon photo credit/courtesy of my neighbor, Marge Kopp)

17/11/2023

For anyone who has ever needed to clean out the home of a relative (or friend)...I wrote a little about my experience doing so and placed it on my Blue Water Woman blog...I'm sure a lot of you can identify with what my brother and I experienced.

KodachromeThey give us those nice bright colorsThey give us the greens of summersMakes you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh yeahI got a Nikon cameraI love to take a photographSo mama don’t tak…

16/11/2023

There's so much good stuff to share in this issue of the Blue Water Woman newsletter...not the least of which is this: Who ya gonna nominate for a Blue Water Woman of the Year Award??? Nominations are due by January 5, but don't delay! Some p*eps have already submitted their nominations! Get all the deets re: that and SO. MUCH. MORE. in this issue of the newsletter: https://conta.cc/3MMzYi6

24/10/2023

Congratulations to our 2021 Blue Water Woman of the Year Award Recipient Anita Ashford! She recently received the Jim Sinclair Exceptional Service Award from the Michigan Municipal League. Anita has been a tireless advocate for so many good causes in our community...we are so very proud of her. (P.S. -- She is not on Facebook, but if you see her, please give her a big hug!) We love you, Anita! :)

The long-time local elected official was honored with the Jim Sinclair Exceptional Service Award last week.

24/08/2023

Extra, extra, read all about it! I'm just a Barbie gal, living in the patriarchy... Check out the (new!) Summer 2023 issue of Blue Water Woman magazine and all kinds of other fun information in the Blue Water Woman Eblast Newsletter: https://conta.cc/47HaCLl

In the Summer 2023 issue, you will meet: Melanie Most, editor and publisher of the Harsen's Island Flyer; Lori Ann Gall, a local animal advocate; and Barbara Little, a member of the LGBTQ+ community who now serves on the board of the new Blue Water Ally Center. Cheers to all three women who are making a difference in their communities! :)

17/08/2023

Our Blue Water Woman Magazine community is a little less bright today after learning of the loss of Michelle "Chef Shell" Wrubel. Though she was a long-time advertiser in Blue Water Woman, Shell was so much more than that. She was a generous, kind and compassionate human being. When I hired her to cater the Blue Water Woman 10 Year Anniversary Party a couple of summers ago, Shell very unexpectedly offered me a significant discount "because I want to celebrate you and support another woman-owned business." That is just what she did. Her restaurant and catering services were truly provided with a love of food and providing food for the soul for her customers. Our community has lost one of its brightest lights. Our hearts go out to her husband and partner in life, Mark, and their entire family, and everyone at Chef Shell's who worked with her and will miss her every day.

07/08/2023

Are you a new mom, or do you know a new mom? The St. Clair County Health Department is an awesome resource for new moms, particularly when it comes to breastfeeding. August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month and the SCC Health Department is holding a free event on Monday, August 14 from 2 to 5 p.m. that will provide all kinds of resources. Check out the news release, below, for more information!

10/04/2023

Have you joined the Blue Water Woman Recreation & Mischief Club yet? We've got a very special bike riding event coming up THIS SATURDAY, April 15, at noon, on Harsens Island! We will have lunch and get into some mischief at the Schoolhouse Grille after our ride. (You are responsible for your own lunch/beverages). Don't hesitate to get signed up. There is a $10 fee for this event and it is limited to just 15 people, so if you are interested, don't hesitate! Eight miles is SUPER EASY bike ride! Have you ever ridden a bike around Mackinac Island? That's eight miles! (I know because I lived on the island and rented bicycles to tourists while in college!). Like Mackinac Island's perimeter, Harsens Island is flat, so this should be an easy ride. And, if you come along, you can tell your friends, "Ohh...I'm going to the island this weekend..." like, you know, all the Nantucketers and Martha's Vineyarders do. 😉 So come to the island and have a great time and get into some mischief with us! To join us, you MUST sign up here: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=ed78f9cab&oeidk=a07ejqmvv1q5bfc51b0

04/04/2023

Oh my goodness...the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards took place three weeks ago TODAY! What a whirlwind the rest of March has been for me! First, on the morning of the BWW of the Year event, my computer DIED, causing much panic and stress in my world as I was scrambling to get last-minute tasks done. Then, I was leaving on a two week vacation just a few days later, so there was much to do to set up a new computer, wrap up some critical work projects and get myself to the airport in time to jump on a plane taking me across the ocean. Many thanks to my husband, Dale Hemmila, for putting up with over-stressed Patti that week, who, in the middle of it all, swore she was never, ever, ever, ever in a million years going on vacation again because getting ready to do so was all too stressful. ;) He puts up w/quite a lot from me, he does. ;) So, now that we are back and the jet lag is (pretty much) gone and I'm settling back in at my desk, I'm pleased to FINALLY share with you the photos (taken by said husband!) of the 2023 Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards. I apologize to the award recipients that it has taken me so long to get around to doing this, but when I was looking at the photos this morning, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy again, and I hope they bring back happy memories for you and your families/friends again today, too. So, cheers to Heather Bearden, Sherry Archibald, Carmela Burns, Karen Brisby and Alice Rieves, the 2023 award recipients. Our community is a better place because all of you are here. I'm so grateful for all of you and I'm honored and humbled to have been able to provide you with a token of our community's appreciation for all you do to make the Blue Water Area a better place. Hugs and love to all...Patti :)

03/04/2023

The Port Huron Museum is presenting a one-woman show called "Women On The Watch" about the groundbreaking women who tended lighthouses. The event will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22 at the Carnegie Center/Port Huron Museum. To register to attend, please visit the link:

Women on the Watch is all about the women who ran lighthouses across the Great Lakes

31/03/2023

Are you a runner? Or are you a runner-wannabe? If so, we've got the run for you! Our friend, Andrea Warnock, a military veteran, is organizing this new event on the running calendar. Mark YOUR calendar and be there or be square!

This is being organized in conjunction with the Chas Schoor VFW Post 796.

Use the link is below to sign up: https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/FortGratiot/SaluteHerRunWalk

A local VFWPost, Chas. Schoor VFW Post 796, is having a Fun Run 10JUN23.

Link is below to sign up -> https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/FortGratiot/SaluteHerRunWalk

08/03/2023

What?!? You mean EVERY DAY is not International Women's Day??? At Blue Water Woman magazine, we celebrate women daily! :) Today we are sharing with you a random selection of some of our past covers over the past decade...we have soooo many great women in our community. Thank you to all who have allowed us to share your story! Cheers to strong women, every day, all year long!

03/03/2023

Well, this has been a sad week. One of our Blue Water Woman of the Year Award recipients has passed away. Ila Shoulders, 103, of Port Huron, died on Sunday evening. In 2020, Ila received the Blue Water Woman Civic Leadership Award. Ila was involved in many, many community endeavors throughout her life, and volunteered an uncountable number of hours of her time to causes she believed in.
Ila was a woman of great faith. When I interviewed her in 2020, she said: “My church means I have a home, and after I leave here, I have a Heavenly home.” Her favorite hymn also mirrors the way Ila views her past century of life: “I like to think of that song we sing all of the time: ‘He’s been good to me, He’s been good to me.”
Ila, you were good to our community. Our community is a better place because you were here.
My condolences are extended to her daughters, Celeste and Cicile, and the rest of her extended family. To learn more about Ila's life and funeral services:
https://memorials.grace-kimball.com/ila.../4198425/index.php
https://bluewaterwoman.com/2020/02/07/ila-shoulders-a-century-of-civic-leadership/

01/03/2023

Tonight's the night! In honor of Women's History Month, the St. Clair County Library Main Branch in downtown Port Huron invited me to give a public address TONIGHT, from 6 to 7 p.m., on Wednesday, March 1, on: "Telling Women's Stories: Why Women's History is Important." This event is FREE and open to the public and all are welcome to attend, but the library just asks that you register in advance (tho' I have an in, so I can probably sneak you in the back door if you forget to register). 😉 But please, don't leave a gal standing all alone in a library, talking to herself. Please come spend a riveting hour listening to me drone on and on. 😉 Come to the public address, she said. It'll be fun, she said... 😉 Thank you. (And so now I'll know who all of my REAL friends are, based on who does and doesn't show up...to support me in my hour of need...) 😉 But seriously, what else do you have to do on a Wednesday night in March? Hope to see you there! 🙂 For more info, or to register, check out this link: https://sccl-mi.libcal.com/event/9741798?fbclid=IwAR0sMh9IZko4rz9X5OnsFkdtc9jNJky--thwet9DfVmwWM9TPcDVAyLzjsI

Celebrate Women's History Month with local women's history makers. Patti Samar from Blue Water Woman magazine will be on hand to talk about her publication and the importance of sharing women's...

25/02/2023

So, I know you are all planning to party down in March to celebrate Women's History Month, right? 🥳🥳🥳 In honor of Women's History Month, the St. Clair County Library Main Branch in downtown Port Huron invited me to give a public address NEXT WEEK, from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, so I will be chatting about: "Telling Women's Stories: Why Women's History is Important." This event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend, but the library just asks that you register in advance (tho' I have an in, so I can probably sneak you in the back door if you forget to register). 😉 But please, don't leave a gal standing all alone in a library, talking to herself. Please come spend a riveting hour listening to me drone on and on. 😉 Come to the public address, she said. It'll be fun, she said... 😉 Thank you. (And so now I'll know who all of my REAL friends are, based on who does and doesn't show up...to support me in my hour of need...) 😉 But seriously, what else do you have to do on a Wednesday night in March? Hope to see you there! 🙂 For more info, check out this flier from the library, or to register, check out this link: https://sccl-mi.libcal.com/event/9741798

14/02/2023

Once a year, I like to share the blog post, below, from the Blue Water Woman magazine website. I wrote it June 2021, a couple of weeks after I received a pacemaker. There I was, a completely, totally healthy specimen of a woman with an otherwise healthy heart that just kept, well, stopping. For no reason. Pacemaker to the rescue! I share this blog post every year during Heart Month, in February, as my Valentine's Day gift to all of you, to remind you to TAKE CARE of yourselves. Tell the doc about the heart palpitations. Tell the doc about the weird growth on your skin. Tell the doc about the lump in your breast. None of that stuff ain't gonna go away by itself, woman. YOU need to care for YOU...because you can't take care of those you love if you are dead. So cheers to my happy ending and my pacemaker, which, I am assured, will keep me ticking and kicking for many, many, many years! And Happy Valentine's Day to all of YOU!

So, during this past winter of COVID, while many people wiled away their excess free time reading books or binge-watching Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu, I passed the time sitting in emergency depa…