A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring the cities of eden and fayetteville as recipients of the 2011 all‑america city award.
Whereas, on June 18, 2011, the National Civic League honored the Cities of Eden and Fayetteville as two of the 10 municipalities nationwide to receive the League's annual All‑America City Award; and
Whereas, since 1949, the All‑America City Award has been given to more than 600 towns, cities, counties, neighborhoods, and metropolitan regions that demonstrate outstanding civic accomplishments; and
Whereas, to justify being recognized as an All‑America City, competing communities have to make a presentation to a panel of civic experts from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors listing three outstanding examples of collaborative community problem solving; and
Whereas, the City of Eden was recognized for the following successful projects: (i) "Rockingham County Education Foundation: Bridging the Gap," a program formed to increase the number of high school students attending college; (ii) "Rivers Run Through Us," a group effort between the Dan River Basin Association and a number of other communities to promote conservation, recreation, and education regarding the Dan, Smith, and Mayo Rivers; and (iii) "Rockingham Student Health Centers: Caring for the Health of Our Young People," a unique partnership among medical facilities, social services, and the school system to establish health centers that provide various medical services for area students; and
Whereas, the City of Fayetteville was honored for the following projects: (i) "History, Heroes, and Hometown Feeling," a motto adopted by the city's residents to embrace the community's military history and to better reflect the community's identity; (ii) "Greater Fayetteville Futures," a community effort that began in 2001 to improve the city's image and to boost the local economy, resulting in the recruitment of new businesses and helping the area become the best performing housing market in the nation; and (iii) "Reading Rocks!," an annual program that has raised over $800,000 since it began to promote the value of literacy and the joy of reading and to raise funds to purchase books for students in the public school system; and
Whereas, the City of Fayetteville, having previously been named an All‑America City in 1985 and 2001, joined an elite group of cities to earn the recognition three or more times; and
Whereas, the citizens of the Cities of Eden and Fayetteville possess a community spirit that have enabled them to work together successfully to improve the quality of their lives in their cities; and
Whereas, these All‑America City honors deserve recognition; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
SECTION 1.  The Senate recognizes the Cities of Eden and Fayetteville on being recipients of the All‑America City Award. The Senate congratulates the members of the All‑America City Award Committees for the Cities of Eden and Fayetteville and recognizes the citizens of Eden and Fayetteville for their efforts in helping their hometowns achieve this national honor.
SECTION 2.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Mayors of Eden and Fayetteville, to the members of the All‑America City Award Committees of Eden and Fayetteville, and to the Chairs of Boards of County Commissioners of Rockingham and Cumberland Counties.
SECTION 3.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.