City of Bloomington Announces 2009 Blooming Neighborhood Awards Celebration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2009

For more information, contact:
Vickie Provine, Program Director, Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, City of Bloomington, 349-3505
Danny Lopez, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-CITY, [lopezd@bloomington.in.gov|mailto:lopezd@bloomington.in.gov]




Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development Department (HAND) is now accepting applications for the 2009 Bloomington Neighborhood Awards, an annual recognition of the year-round efforts of Bloomington's neighborhood associations.

The awards will be presented at the Farmers' Market Plaza during the Blooming Neighborhood Celebration on Sat., June 6, at 10 a.m. Nominations will be accepted for three categories: the Mayor's Excellence Award, the City Council Neighborhood Enhancement Award and the HAND Neighbor of the Year Award. The winner from each category will receive a $100 check made payable to their respective neighborhood association, and all Bloomington residents are invited to attend.

This year's celebration includes a presentation from Jim Diers, former director of the City of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods and author of Neighbor Power: Building Community the Seattle Way, on Fri., June 5, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall. Diers will share the story of Seattle's neighborhoods and provide insights from communities around the world that are working to build active and creative neighborhoods. This event is free and open to the public.

Neighborhoods can sign up for a table upon which they can display their neighborhood information during Saturday's events from 9 a.m. to noon. The first 22 neighborhoods that register for the Jim Diers presentation and a table for the Blooming Neigborhoods Celebration will receive a complementary copy of Jim Diers book, Neighbor Power: Building Community the Seattle Way, in HAND bag filled with goodies for their neighborhood.

Blooming Neighborhood Award applications are due in the Housing and Neighborhood Development Department by Friday, Apr. 24. For an application and more information, please contact Vickie Provine at provinev@bloomington.in.gov or 349-3505. Applications also can be downloaded online at [www.bloomington.in.gov/neighborhoods|www.bloomington.in.gov/neighborhoods].

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