Friends of Willistead

The Friends of Willistead will be celebrating four decades of service to Willistead Manor in 2020. We have always promoted and supported the restoration and showcasing of this jewel with pride and dedication and we are always finding innovative ways to do so.

Our tenth annual Easter “Egg - stravaganza” continued to bring 40 children and their families in to meet the “ Real ” Easter Bunny , dance and sing, do crafts, play games, take photos, participate in an egg hunt and go home with a filled basket of goodies. This community event continues to delight all who attend.

Art in the Park in June is our main fundraiser every year as the Friends of Willistead present a café and serve as docents for complimentary tours of Willistead Manor. This year we moved our café out of the courtyard to the drive and we thank the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) and the City of Windsor for helping us present an inviting spot to host our lunches and give people a chance to rest and enjoy the day. Even the threat of bad weather did nothing to dampen our sprit and enthusiasm.

This year, tours were offered during the month of July and lots of information was provided to the large number of people who visited the Manor for the first time, or came back to appreciate its beauty.

Our seventh Hallowe’en Howl had little ones in costumes play games, do crafts, sing and enjoy spooky treats. It is as much fun for the volunteers to put on this event as it is for the children and parents who participate and come to Trick or Treat.

Six professional decorators along with St. Clair College design students, 35 Friends of Willistead and family, spent two days decorating the Manor in full holiday style. The open houses on Wednesdays and Sundays in December brought in record crowds to the Manor and to the Coach House with our vendors and cider and cookie sales.

The new Breakfast with Santa was a great success and we were extremely happy to assist.

The Friends of Willistead enjoyed acting as docents for tours for students from Académie Ste Cécile and for private parties. Our partnership with Uni~Com: Lifelong Learning, organized through the University of Windsor, to present the series “TREASURES” , was well received and brings more awareness to our beautiful site.