Rancho Cordova’s Team to Participate in All-America City Finals Competition

Rancho Cordova’s delegation is leaving next week to participate in the All-America City finals competition in Kansas City, Missouri that begins June 16^th.  Twenty-seven finalist communities will give 10 minute presentations and on Friday, June 18^th, the top 10 winners will be named “All-America Cities” during closing ceremonies.

The winning cities will be selected based on their performance in identifying, discussing, and forming solutions to society’s challenges and the cities’ achievement in resolving them.  Presentations will be rated by a national panel of judges.

The presentation team from Rancho Cordova includes residents plus representatives from the education, government, and faith communities.  They range in age from teenagers to seniors.

“We put together a team that looks like a snapshot of our community,” said Shelly Blanchard, executive director of the Cordova Community Council that successfully coordinated the City’s efforts through the first stage of the prestigious All-America City competition.

“Our written application earned us the finalist title but the presentation in Kansas City will determine if we get the All-America City award,” said Blanchard.

The theme of the Rancho Cordova presentation is “We make the magic!” and focuses on three signature projects in the community in which the power of collaboration is making a difference.

The three projects:

·       Project 680, the grassroots effort led by Cordova Towne neighborhood activist Ryan Lundquist, which collects everyday items such as socks, underwear, and shoes to benefit homeless children in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.  The project draws its name from the 680 children who have been identified as homeless in the school district.

·       Rancho Cordova Cultural Heritage (Saturday) Schools, a collaborative effort of immigrant parents and the Folsom Cordova Unified School District to preserve and honor arts and culture of mother countries.  The project builds bridges between immigrant groups and the community at-large, has improved academic performance among immigrant children, and has provided for cultural enrichment for the entire population of the city.

·       The Rancho Cordova City Hall Project provides a “civic heart” for Rancho Cordova, incubating business and community engagement as well as serving as a home for municipal services.  The City Hall project has fostered important civic links as the community matures as an incorporated city and is a symbol of change and progress in a city striving to change its image.

Team members:

·       David Sander, Rancho Cordova City Council Member and president of the Cordova Community Council

·       Linda Budge, Rancho Cordova City Council Member

·       Ryan Lundquist, founder of Project 680

·       Charlene Hunt, administrator for homeless programs for Folsom Cordova School District

·       Synthia Smith, Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce board member

·       Nadia Kaliyuk, administrator for Cultural Heritage (Saturday) Schools program

·       Vanessa Martinez, Cordova High School senior and Saturday School graduate

·       Alejandra Montelongo, Cordova High School senior and Saturday School graduate

·       Amy Hiramoto, retired school district employee and Cordova Community Council board member.

·       Larry Stafford, Cordova Church of Christ pastor and Cordova Community Council board member

·       Lee Frechette, Cordova Community Council board member

·       MaryEllen Landers, Rancho Cordova resident and First Covenant presentation team

·       Kerry Smith, Rancho Cordova resident and First Covenant presentation team

·       Andy Gee, Rancho Cordova resident and First Covenant presentation team

·       Michelle Cox, Rancho Cordova resident and First Covenant presentation team

·       Ted Gaebler, Rancho Cordova City Manager

·       Curt Haven, City of Rancho Cordova Economic Development Director

·       Marta Boerger, City of Rancho Cordova administrative assistant

·       Melody Mayer, Rancho Cordova resident and Cordova Community Council

·       Shelly Blanchard, Rancho Cordova resident and Cordova Community Council

Although Rancho Cordova is the newest city in Sacramento County, it is the second year in a row that the young city has been a finalist in the highly coveted All-America City competition.  The award was established by the National Civic League of America in 1949 to honor the best role model cities in the country.  Winning the All-America City designation is a distinction for a lifetime.

The City of Rancho Cordova, CA was incorporated in 2003.  City Hall is located at 2729 Prospect Park Drive; (916) 851-8700 (phone), (916) 851-8787 (fax), www.cityofranchocordova.org (website).

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Posted by Helen Brewer on Jun 10 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.