ALGOMA – The city of Algoma is a finalist in the All-America City Awards, and members of the public can vote online for the community along Lake Michigan.

Algoma is the smallest of 18 cities across the United States vying for the awards in the annual competition sponsored by the National Civic League, which has presented 10 of them each year since 1949.

Representatives will make a live, online pitch for Algoma to a jury of league officials from 10:55 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday; the presentation can be viewed live on Facebook (facebook.com/AllAmericaCityAwards).

This year's finalists cover a wide range of population sizes and demographics, from urban communities like El Paso, Texas; Rochester, New York; and Rancho Cucamonga, California to smaller cities like Logansport, Indiana (population 17,728) and Algoma (3,045). No Wisconsin community has earned the award since Brown Deer in 2016; the nearest winner to Algoma is the Greater Green Bay Area, in 1999.

Among other benefits, officials from several previous award winners said their communities saw greater recognition and new employers come in as a result of the award, according the the league's website. 

The competing communities were selected by the league because they offer inspirational and inclusive civic engagement practices that can "… unite community members to collectively and collaboratively help solve their city's most pressing and complex issues," according to a press release. All will give a 20-minute, live presentation remotely to the contest jury. 

This year's nominations focused on cities with programs that strived to enhance health and well-being through civic engagement. Live Algoma, a community health initiative powered by the Algoma School District, was selected to represent the city for its efforts to fight "brain drain" by creating and promoting opportunities in professional fields for local students, residents and employers.

Algoma's presentation will spotlight three Live Algoma programs: Algoma Wolf Tech, a student-run business that provides technical and mechanical education and business skills to high and middle school students; Algoma Community Wellness Center; and Wolf Den, a program with high school students mentoring younger ones at risk.

The National Civic League was formed in 1894 (the called the National Municipal League) by a group of civic leaders seeking inspiration and new models for governing and managing the nation’s cities.

To cast a vote for Algoma, visit nationalcivicleague.org/2020-all-america-city-awards and click on the "Civic Action Fair" tab under the photo at the top of the page; the code to register is ALGOMA. 

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Algoma is a finalist for All-America City Awards; public can vote online