LANSING – The Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Wednesday announced the winners of the “Why I Choose Michigan” essay contest. The contest helped kick off the recent launch of PureMichiganLiving.com, a new Web site featuring the people, places and
things that make Michigan a great place to live, work and play.
The recipients are:
Gerry Callison of Jackson, who chose to relocate in Michigan last year
after his job was eliminated in Wisconsin and now works at Commonwealth
Associates in Jackson, an engineering and consulting firm that
specializes in electrical transmission and distribution projects; and,
Rita Noel, of Howell, was born and raised in Michigan and has chosen to
raise her family in Howell because she believes Michigan is one of the
nation’s most attractive places to enjoy cultural and recreational
opportunities.
“The essays submitted by Rita and Gerry exemplify the reasons why
Michigan is retaining and attracting the people our state will need to
succeed in the new knowledge-based economy,” said Joe Borgstrom, a Division
Director with MSHDA. “We are delighted to reward their efforts with free
weekend getaway packages to two of Michigan’s most outstanding resorts.”
Callison said he was aware of the economic hurdles that confront
Michigan when he selected Jackson as his new home. His experiences in the
Great Lakes State “have completely eliminated my initial sentiments of,
‘no, Jackson would never work,'” Callison wrote in his essay.
“Jackson offers a very peaceful daily life with lakes and wineries in
the immediate area, and a very low cost of living. Ann Arbor and Lansing
have world-class culture and entertainment opportunities, and are close
enough to visit on a typical weeknight,” Callison added. “I have found the
people to be hard working, friendly, and very anxious to introduce me into
the community. While the challenges faced are undeniably daunting, I am
very encouraged by how communities are coming together to adapt and rebuild
themselves.”
Noel said she has never envisioned leaving Michigan for another state.
“Michigan has so much to offer, with the changing seasons and beautiful
locations to visit,” Noel wrote in her essay. “You could fill your summer
or winter weekends visiting all the different locations in Michigan and
still have new and different things (to do). Not only does Michigan have
beautiful landscapes and locations to visit, they have some wonderful
universities and colleges where a person can get a great education. I
choose to live and raise my daughters here because it is my home and I’m
proud to say I’m from Michigan.”
Noel and Callison were randomly selected by MSHDA and MEDC staff from
the online applicants who participated in the contest. To help draw
attention to the site PureMichiganLiving.com, which is inspired by Travel
Michigan’s national award-winning Pure Michigan campaign, MSHDA and MEDC
officials hosted a two-week-long online rally that invited state residents
to tell their “Why I Choose Michigan” stories. The contest was conducted
Jan. 26-Feb. 1. Entrants were eligible for one of two free weekend getaway
packages at Michigan resorts and hotels. The packages were donated by the
resorts and hotels.
Noel won the “Two Night Mountain Getaway Package” donated by Crystal
Mountain Resort & Spa of Thompsonville. Recent accolades for Crystal
Mountain include a “Top Family Golf Resort” honor by GOLF magazine; the
readers of Spa Magazine have voted Crystal Spa among its five Favorite
Hotel/Resort Spas in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest; while Parents
magazine in November named Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa to its list of Ten
Best Winter Resorts for Families.
Callison won the “Downtown Detroit Getaway” donated by the Westin Book
Cadillac. Just over one year ago, on October 6, 2008, the 453-room Westin
Book Cadillac Detroit opened its doors following a two-year, $200 million
redevelopment to bring back one of the city’s iconic landmarks. Over the
last year the hotel has been lauded with awards for historic preservation
and development along with praise from the metro Detroit community. The
Book has quickly become the hotel of choice for visiting film, television
and sports celebrities. The hotel also received rave reviews from national
and regional travel writers who were guests during a Detroit area media
tour last year.
“‘Pure Michigan Living’ will continue to focus on all the exciting
qualities Michigan has to offer by providing a venue for those who know our
state best to show how Michigan is a great place to live, work and play,”
said MEDC president and CEO Greg Main, who also oversees Travel Michigan.
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