CARLISLE, Pa. — The borough of Carlisle is one of 20 finalists chosen to compete to be named a National Civic League All-America City.
The Cumberland County borough is the only Pennsylvania municipality to make the list of finalists, joining cities like Richmond, Virginia; Englewood, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; and Dallas, Texas.
The full list of finalists is here.
The All-America City award has been given each year to 10 communities, dating back to 1949. It celebrates the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronger connections among residents, businesses, and nonprofit and government leaders.
The theme for this year’s competition is “Building Equitable and Resilient Communities," the National Civic League said.
Carlisle’s participation in the All-America City Award competition is a collaborative effort between the Borough of Carlisle and Dickinson College, the borough said in a press release.
Borough elected officials, staff, and Dickinson representatives worked on completing the application in February, according to the press release. The written application required the description of three community-driven projects, with at least one of the projects relating to the focus of building equitable and resilient communities.
The entrants chose to highlight the Carlisle Community Action Network and its swift response to addressing issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including housing and food security, childcare resources, and vaccination efforts.
The second project featured focuses on efforts to address racial equity and justice, including the work done with the Lincoln Cemetery rededication and reconciliation.
The entrants' third and final project highlighted in the application is the Climate Action Commission. The application entry highlights the commission’s efforts at ensuring inclusiveness and equity while addressing climate change.
The next step in the competition is a virtual presentation at the 72nd All-America City Awards Event, which takes place June 7 through June 9, the borough said.
Each community is given ten minutes to make a live virtual presentation before the awards jury explaining why it should be named an All-America City. The community presentations will bring the written application to life, focusing on civic engagement and the three projects in the application.
Following the presentation, the jury will have ten minutes to question the presenters. The jury will use the presentation, answers to their questions, and the written application to determine the ten All-America Cities for 2021.
