Rowlett named 2009 All-America City Award finalist

by PegNews wire

ROWLETT — The National Civic League announced this week that Rowlett is one of only 34 finalist cities in the United States in the 60th annual All-America City Awards competition. Rowlett also holds the distinction of being the only city in Texas to make the finalist list.

The honor is given to ten winners each year for outstanding civic accomplishments. This year’s finalists have created jobs, revitalized their downtowns, and reduced crime, among other accomplishments. The final competition will be held June 17-19 in Tampa, Florida.

“With the three outstanding community-driven programs we submitted for the competition, I was certain we would come out on top,” said Mayor John Harper. “Being named a finalist is an outstanding achievement in itself. It speaks volumes about what a wonderful and dynamic community we have.”

“The All-America City Award (AAC) is like a civic ‘Oscar’ for communities of all sizes,” said National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortés. “It’s unique because it recognizes the efforts of entire communities. AACs demonstrate inclusiveness, collaboration, civic engagement, and innovation.”

An All-America City has a proven capacity for community-based problem solving, grassroots civic engagement and cooperation between sectors (public, private and nonprofit). To become a finalist, each participant completed an application documenting three community projects that address local challenges such as job creation/economic development, environmental sustainability, neighborhood revitalization and disaster recovery.

Listed alphabetically by state are the 2009 finalists:

Phoenix, Arizona Windsor Heights, Iowa Toledo, Ohio

Fort Smith, Arkansas Wichita, Kansas Wooster, Ohio

Inglewood, California Pocomoke City, Maryland Toledo, Oregon

Rancho Cordova, California Rockville, Maryland Erie, Pennsylvania

Windsor, Colorado Salisbury, Maryland Providence, Rhode Island

Tampa, Florida Somerville, Massachusetts Chattanooga, Tennessee

Bensenville, Illinois Belton, Missouri Rowlett, Texas

Carbondale, Illinois Albany, New York Caroline County, Virginia

Fort Wayne, Indiana Benson, North Carolina

Richmond, Indiana Kinston, North Carolina

South Bend, Indiana Clinton, North Carolina

Des Moines, Iowa Statesville, North Carolina

The June 17-19 awards program will be an excellent opportunity for journalists and broadcasters who cover government, business, schools, crime, or neighborhood/community issues to catch up on the latest strategies for local problem solving.

During the three-day competition, a delegation from each community will present its challenges and solutions to a jury of national experts from across the United States. At least one community project must focus on the needs of young people.

The All-America City Award is an honor achieved by more than 500 neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities, counties, and regions across the country. Some have won the award multiple times while others have taken years to be named an All-America City.

Below is a summary of the three projects submitted by the City of Rowlett All-America City Committee.

1. The Rowlett Citizen Corps Council (RCCC) and its role as a driving force for grassroots volunteerism and community involvement in Rowlett. The RCCC includes an active core membership of nearly 140 volunteers and co-sponsors four programs: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Rowlett Fire Corps, Explorer Post 1, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS). The relationships that are developed with the City of Rowlett and the community allows RCCC to build a bridge between Public Safety and the citizens that they serve, which increases their capacity for action in the event of a large scale disaster, local emergency or crisis.

2. The City’s foresight and perseverance in making the DART Light Rail Blue Line Extension and the President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension become a reality. The leaders of yesterday and today have always envisioned a new, more direct way to connect citizens either to the hustle and bustle of Dallas or the many amenities offered by neighboring communities; however that vision hasn’t always been effortless or even at times painless. With the undying

support of those involved, the vision will be fully recognized with the completion of the President George Bush Turnpike (Eastern Extension) through Rowlett in late 2011 and the DART light rail service to downtown Rowlett targeted for a December 2012 completion.

3. Reaching Our Community’s Kids (ROCK) program. ROCK is an after-school mentoring program at Coyle Middle School teaching life skills to at-risk boys and girls, providing them with the training and encouragement necessary to succeed in school and stay out of the juvenile justice system, while advocating the benefits of living substance free. This program provides students the tools they need to make healthy choices in their everyday lives with the support and counsel they need to face problems they may encounter along their journey to success.

Source: City of Rowlett