2013 Mackinac Bridge Walk social media promotion winners announced

Contact: Jeff Cranson, MDOT Director of Communications,
 cransonj@michigan.gov
517-335-3084
Agency: Transportation

Fast Facts:
- The public shared more than 230 bridge walk memories with MDOT on Instagram and Twitter, including 186 photos and six videos.
- Remus resident Rachel Baldwin won a tour of the top of the Mackinac Bridge after the photo she shared was chosen at random.
- Lisa Hensel of Parker, Colo., won a Pure Michigan gift pack for traveling the farthest for this year's bridge walk and sharing her experience.

September 24, 2013 -- Rachel Baldwin of Remus is the grand prize winner of the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) 2013 Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk social media promotion. Baldwin won a trip to the top of the Mackinac Bridge after the photo she shared with MDOT on Instagram was chosen at random by computer. She will be able to take this once-in-a-lifetime tour sometime in 2014. Lisa Hensel from Parker, Colo., won a Pure Michigan prize pack for being the person to travel the farthest to walk the bridge this year and share her experience with MDOT on social media.

This is the second year in a row MDOT has held the bridge walk social media promotion. In 2012, more than 90 memories were shared by the public, including 34 photos and five videos.

"The annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk is a Pure Michigan tradition unlike any other, and this social media campaign perfectly captures the excitement of sharing that experience," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "If you've never made the trip to walk the bridge, next year is the perfect time to start."

The contest called for people to post their bridge walk memories from this and previous years on their Instagram or Twitter accounts using the hashtag #MightyMacWalk13. More than 230 memories were submitted, including 186 photos and six videos. People from Michigan and all over the country, including Colorado, Indiana and Pennsylvania, enthusiastically shared their memories of walking on the Mighty Mac over the years.

On the day of the event, more than 150 memories were shared by bridge walkers, including Gov. Rick Snyder and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley. Last year, 25 memories were shared by people during their walk.

The "story" of the 2013 Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk social media promotion, including experiences, photos, and videos shared by the public, can be found on Storify at: www.storify.com/michigandot/2013-labor-day-mackinac-bridge-walk.

The guided tour of the top of the Mackinac Bridge is courtesy of the Mackinac Bridge Authority. The free gift pack of Pure Michigan merchandise, including t-shirts, hats, and a gift card set, was donated by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Roadway Work Zone Safety - We're All In This Together.