On the gridiron or any other field of athletic competition, All-Americans are the elite. These players have been recognized as possessing qualities that put them ahead of their peers, making them champions to be admired - even envied - across the nation.

The same, it seems, goes for cities: The National Civic League's All-America City Awards are given every year to a super-select group of 10 municipalities who have demonstrated "innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross-sector collaboration" in the face of  local challenges. To put it another way, these are the Johnny Footballs of the civic sector.

This year, Eau Claire could be one of them. In April, the city was named among 25 finalists for the All-American City Awards, and in mid-June a 21-member delegation from Eau Claire will travel to Denver to convince a jury of civic experts that our fair city belongs in the Top 10.

Original article by Tom Giffey - Volume One.

Read full article here