City Up For 2014 All-America Honor
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowOne Indiana city is listed as a finalist for the National Civic League's 2014 All-America City Awards. Twenty-five communities are invited to the organization's awards event in June. Columbus is among the finalists.
April 9 , 2014
News Release
Denver, Colorado-The National Civic League announced the finalists for the 2014 All-America City Awards, the country's most prestigious award for outstanding, community-based civic accomplishments. The following 25 communities were invited to participate in the June 13-15 awards event in Denver, Colorado:
Montgomery, Alabama
San Pablo, California
Whittier, California
Brush, Colorado
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Tarpon Springs, Florida
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Marshalltown, Iowa
Columbus, Indiana
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Dedham, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Somerville, Massachusetts
Marquette, Michigan
Kenmore, New York
Canton, New York
Independence, Oregon
Providence, Rhode Island
Knoxville, Tennessee
Brownsville, Texas
Marshall, Texas
Hampton, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Yakima, Washington
Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
“We look forward to hosting these community innovators when they come to Denver to participate in the All-America City Awards in June,” said National Civic League Board Chair Mayor Michael B. Hancock of Denver. “All-America city finalists are at the forefront of a nationwide movement to find inventive, community-based solutions to the issues that face our cities. From preparing our kids to compete and succeed in the 21st century to promoting livable neighborhood revitalization, new ideas often start in one community and later become best practices for others.”
This year's awards have a special focus on successful efforts to address the underlying conditions that affect the health of communities. As part of NCL's celebration of the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Healthy Communities movement, the All-America City Award will spotlight programs that address issues such as obesity, walkable cities, biking, fitness, healthy eating and disease prevention.
“Your zip code is more important than your DNA code when it comes to health,” noted Anne Warhover, president and CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation. “Therefore designing our communities with opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy food is critical to improving health outcomes. People are demanding healthy housing and healthy work places. As a result community builders want to provide it. We are overjoyed that the All-America City Award celebrates communities with the foresight to make health a priority and encourages other communities to implement policies that encourage building for health!”
Sponsors of the 2014 All-America City Awards are Southwest Airlines, The Official Airline of the All-America City Awards; Campaign for Grade-Level Reading; Colorado Health Foundation; The Colorado Trust; Kaiser Permanente Denver/Boulder Offices; Alameda Gateway Community Association; Delta Dental of Colorado; FirstBank; Greenberg Traurig; Mile High United Way; PCL Construction; St. Anthony Hospital; City of Aurora, Colorado; City and County of Denver, Colorado; City of Lakewood, Colorado; City of Dublin, California; City of Gladstone, Missouri; City of Rancho Cordova, California.
Communities vying for All-Americas City status fill out applications listing three examples of successful community change and describing their capacities for civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation. Then they present to a jury of civic experts who select the annual award winners. The 2014 All-America Cities will be announced June 15 at an awards celebration. More than 600 communities have received the award since its beginning in 1949.
NCL is a 120-year old nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Denver, Colorado. Its mission is accomplished by fostering and sharing promising practices of local government and public engagement and celebrating the progress that can be achieved when people work together. For more information contact Mike McGrath at the National Civic League at 303 571-4343; mikem@ncl.org, or visit the All-America City Blog at www.allamericacityaward.com or the NCL web site at www.ncl.org.Source: National Civic League