November 20, 2025 • 5 mins
Kelly Wolgamott, Vice President of Pure Michigan joins us to discuss giving the gift of Michigan this holiday season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You think back about time spent with your family and
it's experiences. Right, it's not necessarily gifts during gift giving seasons,
and the State of Michigan has some research to back
that up. This is West Michigan's Morning News, Steve Kelly
and Brett Takita, joined once again by the vice president
of Pure Michigan, Kelly Wolgemont on the liveline. Kelly, thanks
(00:20):
for doing this today.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Oh, thank you. I'm delighted to be here with you today.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It's time to start buying stuff for that special someone
they always say, and an experience of Pure Michigan. It's
a great idea. Talk to us a little bit about
what you've learned.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, everyone is really works hard right
to have that thoughtful and meaningful holiday gift. And what
better gift than to showcase a Michigan experience, whether it
be a Michigan made product, supporting your local retailers and restaurants,
or presenting a perfect Pure Michigan getaway as a special
holiday gift this year. And there's so many great opportunity
(01:00):
these when we talk about, you know, supporting our local
retailers to you know, maybe someone on your list has really,
you know, wanted to highlight a special event throughout the state.
We have so many great events, from the Lilac Festival
to the wonderful events that right there in Meyer Gardens,
and what a great opportunity to provide those experiences as
(01:22):
a holiday gift this year.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You know, Kelly, I lost my dad about a year
and a half ago, and it harkened back when I
saw this list. Is something I did to surprise him
and my brother a few years back now, and my
son is I'd never been to Dromon Island and I'd heard,
I'd heard about the rock right the golf course area.
Dad was an avid golfer and so the four of us,
(01:44):
my son was just an all guys weekend. But I
bought him during Christmas because there was a deal going
on to play, and then we stayed there, we went over.
You know, you take the ferry over and all that
stuff and the experience and I'll never forget it. But
to your point, I mean, for the golf or for
the snowboarder, ski or any type outdoor adventure kayak or
whatever the case would be. There's so many great options
(02:06):
in there, and it's it's probably one of the best
gifts I gave because of the memories afterwards, right, right,
And that's.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
The power of travel, right, those memories and those connections
that are lifelong memories that you'll have. And wow, what
a great You know, our state has something to offer
everyone in every season, whether as you'd mentioned, the outdoor adventure,
the food, the golfer or you know, it's just such
a great opportunity to spend that quality time together.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And spending right, if it's shopping or dining or traveling. Uh,
if we shifted just a little bit of that money,
think of the big difference that we could make for
those local businesses, right, and you.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Know, maybe consider for Cyber Monday. You know we all
like to shop online. Maybe this year you help the
local community by shopping local, which we can help Michigan workers,
businesses and communities thrive throughout this season and beyond.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
And Kelly, one of the things that I want to
promote because it's coming up right, I know, the traditional
Black Friday isn't necessarily what it was. It seems like
it's all of November now and into December. But to
that point, there's a lot of our resorts and stuff
that do special deals. Look for those now online right
at this time period.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Absolutely, you know you mentioned Drummond Island. What if you
know you have a family member that's always wanted the
kayaks pictured Rocks National Lake Shore, and I know that
there's going to be some deals there. So it's a
good time to look for those opportunities because there will
be deals out there. From the resorts. I know they're
gearing up to the wonderful ski season. Everyone's looking forward
(03:42):
to all that snow, to the golf, being opportunities throughout
the state, or maybe it's just you know, a restaurant,
a gift card to a restaurant that you know a
family member has always wanted to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
If you were going to spend I'm looking at your numbers,
ten percent of your out of state money to purchase
things here one in ten to a Michigan small business,
Michiganders could add one point nine billion and gross economic
output to Michigan's economy and create almost twelve thousand jobs.
That's from the Michigan Retailers Association. Kelly. The numbers are real,
(04:14):
and now is the time to start acting it is.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It's so real, and you know we have a lot
of great information on Michigan dot org as well to
help find you some those inspiring travel ideas. There's great
deals and packages on there, as well as a gift
guide which really has a lot of Michigan inspired gifts
on there. I know Michigan Mittens has provided us a
(04:38):
discount code for all of the Pure Michigan fans out there.
So a lot of great information on Michigan dot org
to help you, you know, with that inspiration and to
think about, you know, how you can really provide a
really meaningful gift this holiday season.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Kelly and Steve, I need your help. I haven't seen
the Bigfoot experience out there yet, you know me. I mean,
come on, come on now, it's a mythical being. The
Merry Christmas.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
The vice president of Pure Michigan, Kelly Wolgemon, thanks for
your time today.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Oh, thank you so much.
You think back about time spent with your family and
it's experiences. Right, it's not necessarily gifts during gift giving seasons,
and the State of Michigan has some research to back
that up. This is West Michigan's Morning News, Steve Kelly
and Brett Takita, joined once again by the vice president
of Pure Michigan, Kelly Wolgemont on the liveline. Kelly, thanks
(00:20):
for doing this today.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Oh, thank you. I'm delighted to be here with you today.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It's time to start buying stuff for that special someone
they always say, and an experience of Pure Michigan. It's
a great idea. Talk to us a little bit about
what you've learned.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, everyone is really works hard right
to have that thoughtful and meaningful holiday gift. And what
better gift than to showcase a Michigan experience, whether it
be a Michigan made product, supporting your local retailers and restaurants,
or presenting a perfect Pure Michigan getaway as a special
holiday gift this year. And there's so many great opportunity
(01:00):
these when we talk about, you know, supporting our local
retailers to you know, maybe someone on your list has really,
you know, wanted to highlight a special event throughout the state.
We have so many great events, from the Lilac Festival
to the wonderful events that right there in Meyer Gardens,
and what a great opportunity to provide those experiences as
(01:22):
a holiday gift this year.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You know, Kelly, I lost my dad about a year
and a half ago, and it harkened back when I
saw this list. Is something I did to surprise him
and my brother a few years back now, and my
son is I'd never been to Dromon Island and I'd heard,
I'd heard about the rock right the golf course area.
Dad was an avid golfer and so the four of us,
(01:44):
my son was just an all guys weekend. But I
bought him during Christmas because there was a deal going
on to play, and then we stayed there, we went over.
You know, you take the ferry over and all that
stuff and the experience and I'll never forget it. But
to your point, I mean, for the golf or for
the snowboarder, ski or any type outdoor adventure kayak or
whatever the case would be. There's so many great options
(02:06):
in there, and it's it's probably one of the best
gifts I gave because of the memories afterwards, right, right,
And that's.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
The power of travel, right, those memories and those connections
that are lifelong memories that you'll have. And wow, what
a great You know, our state has something to offer
everyone in every season, whether as you'd mentioned, the outdoor adventure,
the food, the golfer or you know, it's just such
a great opportunity to spend that quality time together.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And spending right, if it's shopping or dining or traveling. Uh,
if we shifted just a little bit of that money,
think of the big difference that we could make for
those local businesses, right, and you.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Know, maybe consider for Cyber Monday. You know we all
like to shop online. Maybe this year you help the
local community by shopping local, which we can help Michigan workers,
businesses and communities thrive throughout this season and beyond.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
And Kelly, one of the things that I want to
promote because it's coming up right, I know, the traditional
Black Friday isn't necessarily what it was. It seems like
it's all of November now and into December. But to
that point, there's a lot of our resorts and stuff
that do special deals. Look for those now online right
at this time period.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Absolutely, you know you mentioned Drummond Island. What if you
know you have a family member that's always wanted the
kayaks pictured Rocks National Lake Shore, and I know that
there's going to be some deals there. So it's a
good time to look for those opportunities because there will
be deals out there. From the resorts. I know they're
gearing up to the wonderful ski season. Everyone's looking forward
(03:42):
to all that snow, to the golf, being opportunities throughout
the state, or maybe it's just you know, a restaurant,
a gift card to a restaurant that you know a
family member has always wanted to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
If you were going to spend I'm looking at your numbers,
ten percent of your out of state money to purchase
things here one in ten to a Michigan small business,
Michiganders could add one point nine billion and gross economic
output to Michigan's economy and create almost twelve thousand jobs.
That's from the Michigan Retailers Association. Kelly. The numbers are real,
(04:14):
and now is the time to start acting it is.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It's so real, and you know we have a lot
of great information on Michigan dot org as well to
help find you some those inspiring travel ideas. There's great
deals and packages on there, as well as a gift
guide which really has a lot of Michigan inspired gifts
on there. I know Michigan Mittens has provided us a
(04:38):
discount code for all of the Pure Michigan fans out there.
So a lot of great information on Michigan dot org
to help you, you know, with that inspiration and to
think about, you know, how you can really provide a
really meaningful gift this holiday season.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Kelly and Steve, I need your help. I haven't seen
the Bigfoot experience out there yet, you know me. I mean,
come on, come on now, it's a mythical being. The
Merry Christmas.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
The vice president of Pure Michigan, Kelly Wolgemon, thanks for
your time today.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Oh, thank you so much.
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