November 2023

Hello Destination,

It's hard to believe that we are already in the month of November. Thanksgiving is a time to be with our family, friends, and neighbors, acknowledge the good that we experience every single day, and to give thanks for what we appreciate. We are so fortunate to live in this part of the world when there are so many global challenges. I want to take this time to give thanks to so many who have helped our County and organization throughout this past year.

Thank you to the Destination Door County team, who have worked hard creating and executing several new programs supporting our continued evolution to become a more inclusive and community-shared values organization highlighting destination alignment, sustainability, and values-based marketing that will remain our pillars in our 2024 Strategic Plan.

Thank you to our Destination Door County Board of Directors and our Door County Tourism Zone Commissioners for working together and supporting our work in tourism promotion and tourism development.

Thank you to our Community Business Associations who work tirelessly for the benefit of their business members and municipalities. The positive impact resulting from the events, activities, and festivals they produce with such passion supports and fosters community pride, encourages economic impact, and brings everyone together, which cultivates diversity of people, talent, and interests.

Thank you to our Door County Community Foundation for helping facilitate our Community Investment Fund and our State Parks Challenge Fund! To be able to give back to our community while supporting the visitor economy is a source of pride for all of us.

Thank you to our partners, businesses, and organizations we work with throughout Door County. You all have been so encouraging, and we are grateful for that every single day. Thank you for your hard work supporting our residents and visitors and providing additional visibility for our County.

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2023 Annual Gathering Thursday night at Horseshoe Bay Golf Club. We had a fantastic time and auctioned off the winning pieces from our "Art in the Door" contest, with the proceeds benefiting the Peninsula Arts & Humanities Alliance! 

Door County is a special place because of you. Enjoy your Thanksgiving season, and I hope to see you out and about at the many events taking place throughout the peninsula!

Sincerely,

Julie L. Gilbert CDME CTP

President & CEO

Destination Door County

Julie@DoorCounty.com

DDC Annual Gathering Celebrates 2023 & "Art In The Door" Contest Winners

Around 150 Door County business leaders and tourism stakeholders enjoyed an evening of camaraderie, food, and beverages at the newly renovated Horseshoe Bay Golf Club on Thursday evening, November 2, for Destination Door County’s 2023 annual gathering.

The evening celebrated the organization’s work over the past year and the commitment to the community as Door County’s tourism marketing and management organization. The event included the premier of a 2023 year-in-review video, which is now available to watch online.

During the event, President/CEO Julie Gilbert provided a brief update to those in attendance and shared some organizational highlights from the past year. She also recognized outgoing DDC board members Mona Christensen, Ann Renard and Todd Trimberger for their years of service and dedication to the organization. She also welcomed those new members joining the board beginning in 2024, including including Kristi Rice from the Door County Land Trust/North Bay Road Farms; Toni Sorenson from Soren’s Valhalla Orchard; Christiana Trapani from Door County Candle Company; and Holly Feldman from Northern Sky Theater.

The event also highlighted this year’s inaugural Art in the Door contest, a special initiative that DDC spearheaded in conjunction with local artists. A silent auction was held with the four winning art pieces from the contest, raising a total of $1,150.00 the DDC has donated to the Peninsula Arts and Humanities Alliance (PAHA) to help support local arts initiatives and arts advocacy efforts in Door County.

A printed summary highlighting 2023 DDC activities was available to attendees to take home, and it is now available to view online as a PDF here. The evening was a grand success and DDC would like to thank everyone who attended and has supported the organization over the past year. The DDC board and staff look forward to more good things on the horizon in 2024!

This holiday season, join us in supporting United Way of Door County by helping collect new personal care items & cleaning products. All items will be distributed to Door County individuals and families in need. This year's drive will run from November 24, 2023 - January 7, 2024.

How to help:

• SIGN UP with this link by November 10, 2023 to be a donation location.
• Each donation location will be responsible for providing their own bin for item collection and Destination Door County will provide a ‘Donate Here’ poster.
• Donation locations, along with a list of requested items, will be highlighted on a shareable social media graphic & printed posters.
• Items will be picked up by a Destination Door County representative periodically throughout the drive.
• Contact Morgan Rusnak, Community Engagement Manager, at morgan@doorcounty.com.

View & Download Program Overview

For more information:

• Contact Morgan Rusnak, Community Engagement Manager, at morgan@doorcounty.com.

NEW: Door County + Leave No Trace Online Courses

As a partner of Destination Door County, you play a crucial role in helping promote Leave No Trace’s message with visitors and travelers who may be unaware of the negative impacts that can result from outdoor recreation.

We are excited to launch two new online courses to help gain a better understanding of recreation-related impacts, the 7 Principles, and how to talk about Leave No Trace skills and ethics with Door County's visitors. By protecting Door County’s outdoor resources with stewardship education, you are helping to ensure that the county’s thriving tourism and recreation economy continues to grow responsibly for years to come.

• Leave No Trace: Hospitality, Retail, and Stewardship in Door County.
• Care for Door County: Welcome Centers and Leave No Trace Visitor Education.