Oakland County debuts 2025 ‘Local Gems’ contest

Some buyers in Oakland County can win between $250 and $1,000 this November as a part of the annual Native Gems Sweepstakes.

The principles are fairly easy: go to a number of of the province’s greater than 6,000 small retail companies, take a selfie within the retailer and submit the entry to the province. A random drawing of selfies submitted on-line, in individual or by mail will decide the winner of three prizes: $1,000, $500 or $250. Every entry should embrace a photograph of the individual inside or outdoors a neighborhood small enterprise.

The competitors begins on Saturday, November 1 and runs till November 30.

This 12 months’s contest was launched in downtown Pontiac at Designed Mindfully, an inside design firm. Designed Mindfully was among the many prime voters in 2024, with HobbyTown and AM2PM Barbershop in Southfield; It is the little issues in Ortonville; and Vibrant Vizionz in Oak Park.

Designed Mindfully proprietor Deya Marchand mentioned her retailer is greater than a small retailer.

“We’re an area the place neighborhood, creativity and aware residing come collectively,” she mentioned, including that Native Gems aligns superbly together with her retailer’s mission “to dwell and store with goal, and help different small companies and native artists.”

The variety of small companies becoming a member of the trouble is rising yearly. In 2024, the competitors highlighted practically 500 distinctive companies throughout 47 of the province’s 62 communities.

County Government Dave Coulter mentioned small companies are the spine of the county’s economic system and Native Gems is “a enjoyable strategy to spotlight and help them, particularly as we enter the vacation buying season.”

Native Gems is a joint effort of Oakland County Financial Improvement with companions Oakland Thrive, Important Road Oakland County and Genisys Credit score Union,

Genisys Credit score Union will present the prize cash. Jackie Buchanan, president and CEO of the credit score union, mentioned buying native is “an funding that strengthens our small companies and builds a united neighborhood.”

She likened the competitors to a treasure hunt as a strategy to benefit from the holidays.

Native Gems is organized every year by Benefit Oakland, the county’s financial improvement company, with Genisys, Important Road Oakland County and Oakland Thrive, the small enterprise help company.

Dom Holmes, the county’s financial improvement director, mentioned Native Gems is an effective manner for residents to find new favorites amongst previous neighborhood merchandise.

Thrive CEO Camille Walker-Banks mentioned contests like Native Gems are a good way to remind residents that “each buy made regionally strengthens our communities and creates an enduring impression.”

Small enterprise homeowners can take part by displaying Native Gems Sweepstakes posters, obtainable by means of Benefit Oakland whereas provides final.

Full sweepstakes particulars and guidelines are on-line at www.OakGov.com/ShopSmall. Contributors are inspired to spotlight the marketing campaign on social media utilizing @AdvantageOak, #OaklandCounty and #LocalGemOC.

The participation kind is offered on-line https://forms.oakgov.com/215. Every selfie taken at one other small enterprise counts as a separate entry.