An Invitation to Join the
Best of Wyandotte Award Program

"All-America City" has a ring to it that we want Wyandotte County to keep on enjoying - over and over again. For that to happen, we must keep doing the things we did to win this prestigious, national award in 1992. We intend to do just that. And, we need your help.

Our community gained All-America status for three reasons: 1) we had citizen-driven projects addressing critical needs; 2) they were producing results; and 3) our projects displayed cooperation among the non-profit, business and government sectors.

Three groups represented Wyandotte County in the 1992 All-America City competition and three organizations were recognized in the 1993, 1994 and 1996 Best of Wyandotte Award Program. In fact, our county has many more organizations who deserve recognition. We think you may be one of those organizations, or that you may be connected to a project that has those "All-America" qualities.

That is why we are writing you. We want to call forth organizations and projects in Wyandotte County that exhibit excellence, and on March 25, 1998 we are going to shine the "Best of Wyandotte" spotlight on three winners selected by a blue ribbon jury.

If you are part of a project, small or large, that has "Best of Wyandotte" qualities, we hope you will become an even better organization by going through the application process. And, if you know of another project that you think should apply, please urge them to do so. The more applicants, the better the competition, and the more prestigious the award.

The Best of Wyandotte is modeled after the National All-American City Competition; same criteria, same style of application, and same jury process. The National Civic League (sponsor of the All-America City program) says Wyandotte County is the first in the U.S. to produce this kind of award. So we have added national recognition to our awards events.

Also, for the first time the Best of Wyandotte Award Celebration will include a Citizenship Award. A Wyandotte County citizen will be recognized who embodies the spirit of the Citizenship Pledge. A copy of the Pledge and Nomination Form is enclosed. We hope you will nominate a friend or a neighbor deserving of this prestigious award.

The Wyandotte County Economic Development Council, the Citizen's Planning Committee and the Breidenthal Foundation have joined hands to sponsor the Best of Wyandotte Award. We hope you too will join hands with us as we continue being an All-America City.

T.A. Stolfus, DVM
Mayor of Bonner Springs
Chairman
Wyandotte County Economic Development Council

Craig Gaffney
President UMB Bank
Wyandotte County Banking Center
Chairman, Citizen's Planning Commission

George Breidenthal
The Breidenthal Foundation