Announcing the 2011 Minnesota Community Pride Showcase Winners!

I was honored to serve as a Judge for the Minnesota Community Pride Showcase this year, sponsored by InCommons, MinnPost, and the Minnesota State Fair. While it was a challenge to rifle through the scores of compelling nominations and proposals to determine what we could highlight, reading about the collaboration and leadership that Minnesotans have engaged in to lift up their communities and neighborhoods was inspiring! See below for more details about the thirty Showcase Winners and join us at the Great Minnesota Get-Together for Community Pride Day on Saturday, September 3!

AND THE THIRTY SHOWCASE WINNERS ARE... InCommons, MinnPost.com and the Minnesota State Fair are excited to announce the 2011 Minnesota Community Pride Showcase winners! See all of the winning entries (scroll down to see the list) and learn more about the remarkable work happening across Minnesota to improve our quality of life. The 30 Showcase winners will receive $500 from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, exhibit space to share their project and will be formally recognized at Community Pride Day at the Minnesota State Fair. ALL entrants in the Showcase will receive two tickets to attend Community Pride Day. Selecting 30 Showcase winners from among the 67 inspiring entries was no easy task. Thanks to all of you who shared the ways that you are moving beyond current economic challenges with creative and proactive community and economic development innovations. A special thanks also goes out to the Citizens League and the Showcase's community panel of judges (click the "Judges" tab) for their tremendous work! DON'T FORGET, EVERYONE IS INVITED TO COMMUNITY PRIDE DAY ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Everyone is welcome to participate in Community Pride Day at the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday, September 3 at Carousel Park. There will be entertainment, opportunities to connect with others and a chance to meet Showcase winners and entrants. Entertainment will be provided by the Willie Murphy Band, singer-songwriter Charlie Maguire, students from Ragamala Dance,J.D. Steele and the MacPhail Community Youth Choir, female rap artist Desdamona, the Brave New Workshop and the Tom Hunter Band. Also, enjoy the Minnesota Community Pride Awards ceremony, newsmaker interviews, showcase displays from the Minnesota Community Pride contestants and more!