The first entry in our multimedia competition, the All-America Stories contest, arrived in our inbox recently. As we mentioned in an earlier post, this contest is open to everyone, not just AAC-winners and finalists, though we would like a lot of AAC communities to enter.
This photo essay tells the story of a Missoula, Montana program to get pet food to home-bound pet owners.
Enjoy
We’re encouraging AAC participants (fnalists and winners past and present) to use this space tell their community stories. Here is an article about Bentonville, Arkansas, a 2010 finalist.
“A Bentonville Arkansas – 2010 All America City Finalist fan page was recently launched on Facebook in order to encourage everyone to show support, notes the author, Kay Mathews. “More and more people are becoming “fans” of Bentonville each day, and it is easy to see why.”
“Should you decide to follow the yellow brick road, or Highway 71 or I-540 among others, and visit Bentonville, Arkansas, you are certain to understand why it is a 2010 All-American City finalist.”
Wichita, Kansas, an AAC winner in 2009, is the focus of this article on volunteering and civic spirit in Great Britain’s largest circulation daily, the Daily Telegraph. Highlighted is one of Wichita’s three projects from the 2009 application and presentation. Here’s a quote:
“The nondescript road, formerly known by the more prosaic title of 21st Street, runs through one of Wichita’s most deprived districts, a neighbourhood of run-down bungalows and shacks that, until recently, boasted the highest crime rate in the city and a growing gang problem, and where 60 per cent of children live below the poverty line.”
“Today, thanks to an alliance of the city, charities and businesses, it has the lowest crime rate as well as a new school, an early-learning centre and a 45,000 sq ft recreation centre. Half the $30 million (£20 million) bill was picked up by local businesses, half by the public. Drive to the other end of town and you will find another Opportunity Drive, in another run-down area.”
National Civic League Senior Vice President Derek Okubo will be presenting highlights of his national research into fiscal sustainability challenges for local government and school districts and the role of community engagement on Monday, May 3 at the University of Southern California’s Bedrosian Center on Governance.
Led by a seasoned group of local government practitioners, pundits, and scholars, the conversation includes analyses of the current fiscal challenge, possible solutions, and implications for the future of local governments. It is hosted by Judith and John Bedrosian Center on Governance at USC, USC School of Policy, Planning and Development, SPPD Alumni Association Board of Directors, Graduate Policy and Administration Community, and the American Society for Public Administration – Southern California Chapter.
The program is from 4 p.m.-6:15 p.m. A reception follows. The location is the University of Southern California, Lewis Hall, Room 101. To RSVP, click here. For questions, contact Bev Perry at bev.perry@usc.edu or 213-821-2550.
By Rusty Farmer
My name is Rusty. I will be “go-to” person for anything hotel-related during the AAC event in Kansas City, Missouri. I’m writing this blog post to remind you about several upcoming hotel reservation deadlines and provide some additional information below.
Once I get your rooming list of individual names I will send the reservations to the hotel and they will generate individual confirmation numbers. Once you have these numbers we can request an invoice from the hotel if you want to pay by check. Check payments must be made in advance of your delegation’s arrival and will be made through the hotel.
Rooms at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center have either one king or two double beds and can accommodate up to four people. The rate for one or two guests is $179, for three guests it is $184 and for guests it is $209. These rates do not include tax currently at 15.225% plus $1.73 per day. To qualify for tax exempt status you must register with the state of Missouri as soon as possible.
Please direct all hotel questions to me at 1-800-262-9974 or by email at Rusty@connectionshousing.com.
2010 All-America City Finalist Webinar
We are putting on an informational webinar to help finalists for the competition in Kansas City. The webinar includes tips on preparing for the event, what to expect when your community arrives, and how to share the experience with everyone in your community. To sign up, e-mail Kristin Seavey at aaa@ncl.org
Here are the times:
Tuesday, April 27 at 10 am Mountain time (noon EST, 11 Central, 9 Pacific)
Wednesday, April 28 at 2 pm Mountain time (4 EST, 3 Central, 1 Pacific)
By NCL Board Chair Sandy Freedman
I would like to use the new AAC blog to invite everyone to attend the 2010 All-America City Awards in Kansas City June.
This is a great opportunity to hear first hand the wonderful stories from communities all across the country. You can see the energy and enthusiasm that the finalist delegations (mostly community builders and problem solvers) have for the event and for their communities. You will come away with some new ideas, and hopefully, plans to compete in 2011.
I was a member of our community delegation, Tampa, Florida, when we won the All-America City in 1990, and I know what a transformative experience it can be. It is hard to describe or to comprehend until you have been there. Author Curtis Johnson of the Citistates Group, an AAC juror in 2009, described it as cross between a high school pep rally and a political convention.
Behind the energy, cheering and civic spirit, however, is serious purpose—sharing information about innovative approaches to community building and local problem solving. I heartily invite you to come see for yourself.
The 2010 All-America City Awards will be held June 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Find out more about the event by clicking on the “Information Hub” on this page.
A post from North St. Louis County Blogger Shannon Howard on Ferguson, MO being named an AAC finalist.
I live in Kenmore, N.Y., a first ring suburb of outstanding Buffalo, N.Y. Kenmore has been designated as top 10 neighborhoods in the U.S. for 2009 by the A.P.A. We have great schools, a walkable community, quaint shops and outstanding PEOPLE. Kenmore is one of the beautiful examples of Buffalo’s warm hospitality. Every time I welcome visitors to my communities, they leave saying “I can’t wait to come back.” There are so many historical sites, festivals and activities available, and I am proud to say that most people can’t see them all in one trip.
Cheryl J. Zanghi
We would like to get some public participation going on this blog. Tell us something about an All-America City you know and love. It could be your hometown or a village, town, city, county/region you’ve spent time in and know a thing or two about. Leave a comment on this blog or e-mail a paragraph to aac@ncl.org.
Link here to pull up a PDF of past AAC winners listed by state.
All-America City Awards
is a program of the
National Civic League
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