The National Civic League has announced the finalists for the All-America City Awards, the annual competition for civic activists and community problem-solvers. The 2011 awards event will be June 15-17 in Kansas City, Missouri.
“We’re very excited about this year’s participants, a very strong group of contenders with great civic projects to brag about,” said NCL President Gloria Rubio-Cortés. “These communities have tackled everything from tsunami preparedness to environmental sustainability, education, gang violence and economic development.”
The list of 26 finalists includes large urban centers, midsized cities and smaller suburban and rural communities. Listed alphabetically by state are the 2011 finalists:
| Kenai | Alaska |
| Downey | California |
| Dublin | California |
| Huntington Park | California |
| Torrance | California |
| Yucaipa | California |
| Lakewood | Colorado |
| Belleville | Illinois |
| South Bend | Indiana |
| Marshalltown | Iowa |
| Scott City | Kansas |
| Dedham | Massachusetts |
| Ann Arbor | Michigan |
| Tupelo | Mississippi |
| Dakota County | Nebraska |
| Eden | North Carolina |
| Fayetteville | North Carolina |
| Buffalo | New York |
| Cincinnati | Ohio |
| Seaside | Oregon |
| Lakeview | Oregon |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
| Fort Worth | Texas |
| Taylor Landing | Texas |
| Cottonwood Heights | Utah |
| Beloit | Wisconsin |
“People can’t believe the energy and spirit of this event until they experience it,” noted Hon. Sandra Freedman, who chairs the National Civic League Board of Directors. “It’s a unique combination of local pride and community innovation, and in these very tough times for localities, these communities give us hope and new ideas about how to do more with less.”
Sprint Foundation is underwriter of this year’s All-America City Awards. Sponsors are: the Gay & Lesbian Fund For Colorado; Southwest Airlines (the official Airline of the All-America City Awards); the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Jossey Bass (an imprint of Wiley), which is celebrating the 100th year of the National Civic Review; the Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation; J.E. Dunn Construction; LSC Transportation Consultants; the City of Gladstone, Missouri; the City of Barnstable, Massachusetts, and the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
