By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Edwardsburg Argus
NILES - Gather up your sunscreen, ballcaps, sunglasses, walking shoes, and Michigan and Indiana road maps, because it's time for the 2005 Michiana Water Garden tour.
God's Green Earth of Niles is once again sponsoring the event, with the proceeds going to benefit Healthwin Specialized Care facility located at 20531 Darden Road, South Bend, Ind.
Healthwin is a not-for-profit long term care facility which has provided healthcare to the community for nearly 100 years.
There are 22 ponds from all across Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana featured in the tour this year.
Polega and his wife Suzi got the idea for the pond tour when several years ago, they went on a pond tour in the Chicago area and thought it would be a fun thing to do in the Michiana area.
The pond tour will take place on Saturday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 10, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., with local times in Michigan and Indiana being observed.
Healthwin became involved with the pond tour after a 2003 tornado decimated the grounds and the management company which had taken over the company in 2001 decided to create something special for the residents in the wake of the destruction the tornado had left behind.
Since that time the grounds at Healthwin have undergone an extensive renovation project. There is now a three acre park, a large pavilion, playground and beautiful 15,000 gallon pond, jointly designed by God's Green Earth and a team of Healthwin staff and volunteers lead by Tim Polega of God's Green Earth and Alec Fisher.