2008 All-America City Award Winners Announced!

June 9, 2008

DENVER, June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Civic League has announced the winners of the prestigious All-America City award. The ten winners in 2008 (in alphabetical order by state) are:

Goodyear, Arizona

Cerritos, California

Aurora, Colorado

New Haven, Connecticut

Kissimmee-Osceola County, Florida

Gladstone, Missouri

St. Louis Region (Missouri-Illinois)

Lenoir, North Carolina

Reidsville, North Carolina

Akron, Ohio.

In its 59th year, the awards program recognizes neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities, counties and metro regions for outstanding civic accomplishments. To win, communities have to demonstrate their ability to address serious challenges with innovative, grassroots strategies that promote civic engagement and cooperation between the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

"These communities really give us hope," said National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortes, "because they show others what can happen when people roll up their sleeves and work together."

The All-America City Award is an honor achieved by more than 500 communities across the country. Some have won the award multiple times. This year's winners addressed such pressing and topical issues as healthcare for the uninsured, housing for seniors, immigration, education and economic development.

Founded in 1894, the National Civic League (NCL) is America's original advocate for good government and community democracy. Originally known as the National Municipal League, it is a non-profit, non-partisan, membership organization dedicated to strengthening citizen democracy. NCL fosters innovative community building, political reform, effective governance and collaborative problem-solving efforts through technical assistance, training, publishing, research and its awards programs.

This year's AAC Awards were sponsored in part by Jones Day, Prudential, Wachovia Corporation, ICMA Retirement Corporation, RBC Capital Markets, MWH, Southwest Airlines (The Official Airline of the AAC Awards), Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina (The Sole Official Headquarters Hotel of the AAC Awards), and Marriott International.

Hundreds of civic leaders and community activists from across the country met in Tampa for the three-day awards competition from June 4-6. To win, each community had to make a presentation to a jury of civic experts from the public, private and nonprofit sectors listing three outstanding examples of collaborative, community problem solving.

The benefits of the award include heightened national attention, civic pride, and a proven economic impact. The rigorous application process serves as a valuable civic self-assessment and can make communities stronger.

SOURCE National Civic League