Congratulations to the community of Willmar for receiving their recent award as an All-America City!  This award is described as "America's original and most prestigious community recognition award" by the National Civic League. Willmar was named an All-America City because it is working on identifying and solving community problems.

Willmar and nine other communities from across the United State received the All-America City Award during the 56th annual All-America City competition sponsored by the National Civic League in June in Atlanta, Georgia.  A total of 46 communities applied for this year's award, and the ten winners were selected from a field of 30 finalists.  Judges selected the winners based on responses to an extensive written application that was submitted prior to the weekend's competition, and also on a 10-minute presentation given during the competition by community teams.  Willmar's community team consisted of 47 members, including 16 youth.

The award began over 50 years ago by the National Civic League to encourage and recognize civic excellence, and honor community, counties, neighborhoods, regions, businesses and non-profit organizations for addressing social issues.

Willmar City Administrator Michael Schmit said applying for the All-America City Award is something he had been looking forward to doing ever since the city was named an All-American City finalist, but not a winner in 1982.  He notes, "What this program is all about is communities recognizing that they have problems (and) issues to deal with and how do they as a community go about solving those problems."

Willmar's Mayor Les Heitke addes, "It puts the strength, status and image of our city forward.  It will be used for economic development and marketing purposes.  It's an award that Willmar now has forever."  Heitke said 443 of the 18,000 cities and villages in the United States are All-American Cities, as are 18 of the 853 cities and villages in Minnesota.