This year’s Ladies’ Day will feature two local experts—one on landscape architecture and another on personal fitness and wellness training—from 10 to noon on Saturday.

by Marsha Chartrand

The Manchester Community Fair (MCF) Ladies Day’ will be held at Alumni Field on Saturday, August 9, from 10am to noon. They will have goody bags for the first 150 ladies and door prizes, all donated by generous local businesses and individuals. Refreshments will be available.

First, Manchester graduate Lisa DuRussel will give a presentation called “Rooted in Place: The Beauty and Benefits of Native Planting Design.”

DuRussel (LEED AP) is a licensed landscape architect and founder of the ecological design practice PERIMETER.LA She is an associate professor of practice and engagement in landscape architecture at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. Last year DuRussel was instrumental in developing a rain garden for Kirk Park with her U-M students, which is helping with drainage issues.

She will be followed by speaker Craig Rathfon from the Dexter Wellness Center, who will talk about how to improve your balance. Rathfon, educated in exercise science at EMU, is a personal trainer who brings a strong background in exercise science and nearly a decade of personal training experience to the DWC fitness team. He has been working as a certified personal trainer since 2016 with almost a year at DWC.

His special interests include balance training and core strength, weight training, senior fitness, and more. He also enjoys spending time outdoors hunting and fishing, and he is passionate about promoting overall health and wellness.