Meet the Walker family.
They’ve had a home in Bay Harbor since 1998, when a job transfer moved the family to Canada. With three kids in college in Michigan, they wanted a home base somewhere in the state where the entire family could gather.
“We immediately fell in love with Bay Harbor,” said Bob Walker. “We looked at other area properties but were always drawn back to Bay Harbor. Since we had a golden retriever, we ended up buying a condo in the Cottages in the Preserve. Our college kids got jobs in the summer, and I commuted from Canada pretty much every weekend.”
“One of our most memorable first experiences here was joining Bay Harbor Golf Club. I had golfed off and on, but never seriously. My wife, Michele, was an avid tennis player. I told her if she started golfing, I’d play more tennis. Ha! She held up her side of the bargain (and is a better golfer than I am), but I don’t think we’ve played tennis once since then! The golf club was a great way to meet people,” Walker commented.
When it was time to retire, the Walkers made Bay Harbor their permanent home.
When it was time to retire, the Walkers made Bay Harbor their permanent home. “The beauty of Bay Harbor speaks for itself. Long summer nights with gorgeous sunsets, autumn colors or the look of a fresh snowfall all have their unique appeal. But what we enjoy most is the people. We have great friends whom we get together with often — on the golf course, at the Yacht Club, or at someone’s home,” explained Walker. For this active couple, the key to happiness is involvement.
“Both of us have been very involved in pretty much every facet and organization here, including being president of the Community Council for three years. We have both been involved on the Bay Harbor Golf Club Advisory Committee and the board of the Bay Harbor Yacht Club, I have even been Commodore. Michele was part of Bay Harbor Church since its beginning 12 years ago, and we are now co-administrators there. I have been on the McLaren Northern Michigan board for over a year. While it has taken a lot of time, it has been very rewarding,” he said.
Perhaps the cause Michele is most committed to is a homeless shelter called The Nehemiah Project.
“In 2006, I started making meals for the shelter residents a couple of times a month. This has blossomed into a ministry, and I am now cooking every Tuesday, as well as being a board member. I have a band of what I call ‘angels’ who help me out and fill in for me when I’m out of town,” Michele finished.
