Event Program

Welcome by Rachel Siglow, deputy director, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. Discussion between Ann Compton, former ABC News White House correspondent, and Jonathan Pliska, historian and author, A Garden for the President, a History of the White House Grounds.Memories of President and Mrs. Ford by Bing Goei, president, Eastern Floral & Gifts. Discussion between Ann Compton and Nicola Ripley, executive director of the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado. Discussion between Ann Compton and Susan Ford Bales, daughter of President and Mrs. Ford. Concluding remarks by Gleaves Whitney, executive director, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.

The 2021 America's First Ladies Luncheon program includes many images. A special thank you to the staff at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for providing historical photographs. Our friends at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, and the White House Historical Association also provided many wonderful photographs – thank you. At every First Ladies Luncheon to date, the flower arrangements that celebrate Mrs. Ford’s birthday are created by Nathan Veeneman and his team at GreenNV. Thank you for your creativity. To the staff at the National Governors Association, thank you for your hospitality and use of your facility. Our gratitude to the team at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park for their logistical support and talented culinary skills that provided our wonderful gourmet lunch. At this virtual event, we are taking every precaution for the safety of our guests. All speakers have been adequately masked and are practicing safe social distancing from one another.

Watch the Program Here

First Ladies Luncheon Resources

Website link for the White House Historical Association

Website link for Jonathan Pliska’s book: A Garden for the President: A History of the White House Grounds
Website link for the upcoming book: On the Roof of the Rocky Mountains, The Botanical Legacy of Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
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