The personal link in the confirmation email looks similar to this (non-functional) example:

1. http://gngt.org/GNGT/VisitorPage.php?reg_id=1234567890abCdef1234567890abCdef12345
   

The portion that follows the “reg_id” is your unique registration identifier, which is assigned to you once and remains valid for as long as you maintain your registration with the Growing Natives Garden Tour. The only way to receive that link is by email. Nobody else has the same registration identifier. Please treat is as you would treat any password and do not share it with anyone.

When you use your personal link to access our website, that action verifies that the email address which you gave us during the registration is functional, and that you agree to receive our emails. Without that verification, we cannot send you reminders about this or next year’s tours!

Our email list is set up in accordance with the Confirmed Opt-In policy, established to prevent spamming. Good descriptions of that policy can be found by clicking on the links below:

1. •Confirmed Opt In - A Rose by Any Name (at Spamhaus.org).
   

2. •Opt in e-mail description (at Wikipedia)
   

By using Confirmed Opt-In, we can send mass emails that do not fall into the category of spam. Several times in the past, our email server was blacklisted by mistake; each time, we used the documentation of our registration process to prove to the maintainers of spam-related blacklists that our mail was not spam. Typically, our email was unblocked within 24 hours.

Additional advantages of using the personal link:

1. •It takes you directly to the page that contains your information and email preferences, without a need to identify yourself by entering your email.
   

2. •It remains valid even if you cancel the email account you used in the past year(s) for registering. Just be sure to correct your email address on record once you reach the Visitor Page via your personal link.
   

What happens if I never use my personal link?

You will only get one email from us, when you complete the registration. You will not get any reminders about this or next year’s tours.

You will be still able to attend the tour and retrieve the tour information, but you will have to access it by entering your email address when you’re prompted for it at the Registered Visitor Page link.

What if I registered in the past and received a reminder?

Reminders are sent only to people who have already completed the confirmed opt-in in the past. Your email preferences will be honored this year as well, and you will receive the notifications that you selected during the registration process. You do not have to use your personal link if you do not want to.