Restored Art Deco home opens for tours to benefit local veterans

August 9, 2024

LUDINGTON – A tour of a historic Ludington house will benefit local veterans. The Mason County Veterans Endowment Fund will host a tour of the residence of Anita and John Wilson, 821 N. Lakeshore Dr., on Thursday, Aug. 15 and Friday, Aug. 16 from 4 to 8 p.m. each day. Cost is $25 per person with all proceeds going to the endowment fund.

The home has been recently renovated back to its original Art Deco style. It was built in the 1940s and originally owned by Nellie and Ed Thompson. In the early 2000s the house was vacated after Ed Thompson died and Nellie Thompson moved into an assisted living center. The home fell into disrepair, including water damage from frozen pipes that had burst.

The property was purchased by the Wilsons in 2022 who began to restore it with the help of project manager Gary Ferguson and designer Terri Langerak.

In honor of Ferguson, a Vietnam War veteran, whose expertise was essential to the home’s restoration, the Wilsons are hosting an open house to benefit the Mason County Veterans Endowment Fund. The fund, held at the Community Foundation for Mason County, provides emergency funds for Mason County veterans, their families, and serving troops.

Admission can be paid on site by cash or checks or through an online donation at https://bit.ly/3YmPiIM. Those who make an online donation need to bring proof of the donation (screenshot or printed donation receipt).

The Mason County Veterans Endowment Fund supports unmet needs of veterans and their families who reside in Mason County. The fund was established in 2009 by Budde Reed and Dr. Rick Plummer, both local Vietnam combat veterans. The fund has assisted many veterans since its inception, both on its own and in partnership with the county, municipal, and private organizations and agencies.

Read more about the fund at https://masoncountyvetfund.org/

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