Mich. state parks get official ice cream

LIVONIA, Mich., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The Michigan Department of Natural resources has named a caramel apple ice cream created by a Houghton Lake woman as the official ice cream of state parks.

The department said judges, including three participants in the 2012 Outstanding Outdoor Kids program, met at a Meijer store in Livonia and sampled various ice creams Tuesday and picked the Pure Michigan Caramel Apple flavor as the official Pure Michigan ice cream flavor of Michigan state parks.

The flavor, which was created by Dawn Dummer, will be served to attendees at the March 25-27 Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism.

Dummer was awarded with free Hudsonville ice cream for a year, a one-week stay in a Michigan state park or harbor, a $1,000 Meijer gift card and various Pure Michigan merchandise.

"I've never entered a contest before other than bingo, but I had to do this one! It's about Michigan and I love Michigan -- it's my home state and I'm proud of it," Dummer said. "I'm just beside myself right now!"