Windmill Island's Alisa Crawford Featured in Oprah Magazine

Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2012, 11:15 PM             Updated: Wednesday, October 03, 2012, 12:47 AM
Myron Kukla | [email protected] By Myron Kukla | 

HOLLAND, MI -- Windmill Island's resident DeZwaan Windmill operator Alisa Crawford is featured in the "You Do What?" section of the October issue of "O" The Oprah Magazine.

The short article is titled, "The Daily Grind: Alisa Crawford's 9 to 5 involves wheat, windmills -- and a passion for the past" along with a photo of Crawford and at the city's landmark windmill.

Interviewed this summer by the magazine, the Dutch certified miller and member of the Netherlands-based Grain Millers Guild discussed the unusual aspects of her job.

"I talk about what the job of a miller requires like hoisting bags of grain to the top of the windmill and then setting the sails on the blades to turn the grindstones and crush the grain," said Crawford, who has worked the city-owned Windmill Island since 2002.

"It's not your average office job," said Crawford who in addition to being miller is also events coordinator for Windmill Island.

The Oprah Magazine was approached to do an article on Crawford and her Windmill job through the Holland Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

"Our office has been working on trying to get a national story on Alisa and the windmill for four or five years. Finally a PR lady that used to be affiliated with Travel Michigan called and said Oprah wants the story," CVB Executive Director Sally Laukitis said.

"It's great to have a national piece on the talents of Alisa while getting exposure for Holland and Windmill Island."

Crawford has had stories done on her and her job this year in MaryJanesFarm magazine, Food For Thought, Shore and now "O" magazine

"I've had lots of people mentioning they saw the article, but Oprah herself hasn't called yet. It's still early in the month, though. There's still time," Crawford said.