League Announces 2005 All-America City Finalists

League Announces 2005 All-America City Finalists

The National Civic League announced the 30 Finalist communities for the 2005 All-America City Award competition, the nations longest running and most prestigious civic recognition program.

The All-America City Award encourages and recognizes civic excellence, honoring the communities in which citizens, government, businesses and nonprofit organizations demonstrate successful resolution of critical community issues. Since 1949, more than 4,000 communities have competed and nearly 500 have been designated All-America Cities.

The Finalist communities that will compete for the 2005 All-America City title include (listed in alphabetical order by state):

- Seward, Alaska- Canoga Park, California- Lincoln, California- Modesto, California- Golden, Colorado- Milliken, Colorado- Lauderhill, Florida- Palm Bay, Florida- Pompano Beach, Florida- Sarasota County, Florida- Athens-Clarke County, Georgia- Dyersville, Iowa- Port Huron, Michigan- Willmar, Minnesota- Carrollton, Missouri- Clinton, North Carolina- Alamogordo, New Mexico- Batavia, New York- White Plains, New York- Beaverton, New York- Fort Mill, South Carolina- Georgetown County, South Carolina- Greer, South Carolina- Orangeburg County, South Carolina- Lancaster, Texas- Park City, Utah- Alexandria, Virginia- Winchester, Virginia- Cheyenne, Wyoming- Rock Springs, Wyoming

These communities serve as models for the rest of the country, said Christopher T. Gates, president of the National Civic League. They are tackling challenges that seem insurmountable and are producing positive and tangible results with ingenuity and collaboration.

The 30 Finalists will participate in a final round of the All-America City competition in Atlanta, Georgia, June 23-25. A delegation from each Finalist community will present their innovative programs and local solutions to a jury of their peers from across the United States. Their presentations will address a wide range of social and community issues, including crime, education, poverty, housing, and race relations. The jury will select the top 10 communities based on their presentations and crown them with the All-America City Award for 2005. The All-America City Awards will be announced and presented Saturday, June 25, during a ceremony at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

George H. Gallup, one of the awards founders, described the program as a Nobel prize for constructive citizenship. As such, communities that have won the All-America City Award have realized numerous benefits, including national recognition and enhanced community pride. Many All-America City Award winners also have realized significant economic impacts, including new grants, improved bond ratings, increased tourism, and greater economic activity.

Those who participate in the All-America City Awards process are winners because they know that fulfillment comes from service to their communities. They are reaching across barriers to bring people together to talk, to build, to dream. Thats what the Award is all about, said former U.S. Senator and former National Civic League Chairman, Bill Bradley.

The National Civic League is one of the leading proponents of citizen democracy in the United States. Founded in 1894 by Theodore Roosevelt and other government reformers, it is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to building community and promoting political reform at the local level. NCL accomplishes its mission through facilitating community processes and conducting and publishing research on political reform and community building. Through its All-America City Award program, NCL also celebrates community engagement efforts across the nation. The event is co-sponsored by Marriott International and the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. For more information, visit http://www.ncl.org

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