For the first time in nearly 40 years, the City of Erie will compete for the title of All-America City.  The All-America City Award recognizes communities across the country for civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness, and innovation.  Each year, only ten cities are selected as All-America Cities.  The award is a program of the National Civic League, a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1894 to strengthen citizen democracy by transforming democratic institutions.

As a community, we should feel honored to be a finalist for this most prestigious award. On June 17th -19th, a delegation from Erie will head to Tampa, FL to make a final presentation for this award at the 60th Annual All-America City Annual Awards Celebration.  Our presentation will highlight Erie’s efforts to revitalize downtown, combat crime through the Weed and Seed Program and how our many non-profits are benefiting underserved children in our City.  While still in the planning process, the delegation will be a diverse group from our community including elected officials and policy makers,  business leaders, educational professionals, and those involved in grass roots community initiatives.

Over the course of 3 days the delegation will have the opportunity to interact with regional and national leaders and benefit from their incredible talent, energy and ideas and share our own.  A series of innovative forums will include presenters from a diverse blend of leading national experts, Mayors from large and small cities that developed successful models, non-profit leaders, and others!  Some topics of discussion include Sharing Best Practices, Getting Youth Involved in Your Community, Sustainable/Green Solutions, Jobs and Economic Drivers, Marketing Your AAC Community and much more!

We hope you will share in our excitement at the possibility of receiving this great honor and showing the nation what a great place Erie really is to live, work and play.  If you would like more information please Erika Howland, Community Development Specialist for the City of Erie.  She can be reached at 814-870-1469 or ehowland@erie.pa.us. Â

For more information on the National Civic League and the All-America City award go to

http://www.ncl.org/aac/2009/2009AACFinalists.html