Meet Our Board of Directors

BEVERLY GARRETT, BOARD MEMBER

I have lived in the Barry/Calhoun County my entire life. I went to school in Battle Creek. Recieved my BA and MSL from Western MI University and started working at Willard Public Library, Battle Creek, in 1969. Then in 1992, I attended Fiberfest for the first time and met my very first llama up close at Llamafest--a part of Fiberfest at that time. By 2002, I had been at Willard for 33 years and had 40 llamas and decided to retire to enjoy life. Now I have 51 llamas, 3 alpacas, and 18 miniature horses and have learned to spin, weave, felt, and knit since I have all this fiber around my house now!

SUSAN SAUNDERS , VICE PRESIDENT

My first encounter with Fiberfest was at Hastings Fair Grounds in 1990 or so. I have been a weaver and spinner for many years, but hadn't lived in Michigan for quite a while. In 1992, I attended Fiberfest at the Kalamazoo Fair Grounds and got involved with llamas. When Michigan Fiber Festival was established, I started attending it and found it to be the best festival around! Between the llamas and my love of spinning, weaving, and dyeing, more involvement with Fiberfest was sure to follow. I have been Co-chair of the Skein Competition for many years now. Now that I am retired, I have the time to be able to make meetings and I am thrilled to be on the Board!

SUZANNE PUFPAFF , BOARD MEMBER

I has been involved with natural fibers ever since the very first Fiberfest happened at the old Hastings Fairgrounds. She has spent many of those years volunteering for either Fiberfest or Michigan Fiber Festival and this year is no exception. After taking a couple of years off to get her mother settled into assisted living, she is back on the board and looking to see where she can be of assistance to continue to further the footprint natural fibers have in the lives of those she comes in contact with.

JUANITA MANNING WALSH , SECRETARY

This is my third year of involvement in Michigan Fiber Festival. I began knitting at my mother’s knee when I was 6 years old. My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 8. I was knitting sweaters by the time I was 10 and even made matching cardigans for twin babies that I knew using size 2 or 3 needles and fingering weight yarn. Almost two years ago I learned to spin and to weave. I’ve decided that one nearly must weave to use even a fraction of the yarn he/she spins. I’ve also learned that spinning wheels and looms have a way of multiplying. I currently have 5 spinning wheels and 8 looms including 2 working antique toy Structo Artcraft Looms. While I do not raise any fleece bearing animals, I have found that I very much enjoy washing and dying fiber. There’s nothing quite like sticking one’s nose into a freshly sheared fleece and smelling the lanolin. I enjoy combining art forms and have created several sweaters with quilted fronts and am currently working on designing a jacket combining woven fabric made out of handspun wool and knitting. I’m eagerly anticipating the day when I can retire and devote most of every day to fiber art.

 

RITA JOHR, PRESIDENT

My husband Roger and I live in Caledonia, where we own the Circle R Ranch and enjoy raising alpacas. I have been involved with the Michigan Fiber Festival for several years, serving as the Alpaca/Llama Chairperson for the past 5 years and now serving on the board. I enjoy knitting and crocheting. I dabble with spinning and felting and most of all I love learning new things relating to fiber. I look forward to working with the other board members to keep the Fiber Festival interesting and growing.

LINDA BROWN, BOARD MEMBER

I have always loved sheep and barely remember a time that I didn't knit! Spinning has always fascinated me and it wasn't until I learned how, that I discovered my niche. My hobbies and interests have expanded, but they all still revolve around wool. I attended Fiberfest first as a shopper and by the next year I was the Vendor Chair. I live in Eagle, MI, with my husband, 6 sheep, and 2 Ragdoll cats. Yes, I spin cat hair too! I look forward to serving on the board!

JEAN ANNE WAHL-PIOTROWSKI , BOARD MEMBER

I have been involved with the Fiberfest for many years now and most recently as a board member. I love contributing new ideas and offering suggestions to help Fiberfest grow year over year and I look forward to helping out in various capacities over the next coming years!

JILL TURNER , TREASURER

Like a bad penny, I just keep showing up! I have been involved with Michigan Fiber Festival since the beginning in one way or another. As the owner of Lady Peddler in Hastings, MI, I have a strong interest in yarns and fibers, and a stronger love of what we can do with them. I believe Michigan Fiber Festival is important to the fiber community, as an educational tool and menu for new and innovative ideas!

MIKE LUDLAM , BOARD MEMBER

My wife Heather and I live on a 50 acre farm in Hopkins. Windswept Farms was established in 1993 when we began raising Registered Shetland Sheep. We currently have approximately 100 head of Shetland Sheep and we sell breeding stock, lamb, raw fleeces, and rovings. We have three children who are very involved with the farm, the sheep, and the fiber.
I have been involved in Michigan Fiber Festival since 1998, showing our sheep and as a vendor selling our fiber products. About six years ago I became much more involved in the marketing of our products. I learned how to spin and have been learning more about different types of fibers and their many uses. I have played with weaving and done some dying and needle felting. This past Festival Heather and I were trained by Phil and Betty Shetterly to take over as Superintendents of the Sheep Show. .
I am looking forward to serving on the board of the Michigan Fiber Festival. I believe I can bring a slightly different perspective, having participated in the animal show for the last 11 years. I hope to help with the continued improvement of the Festival over the next three year.