Communities encouraged to apply for Governor's Home Town Awards

Deadline for entries is Aug. 15

[July 16, 2011]  SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois communities large and small are encouraged to submit their entries for the 29th annual Governor's Home Town Awards competition. The program recognizes volunteers whose hard work and dedication greatly improve their communities. The deadline to submit applications for consideration is Aug. 15.

Awards are given in six project categories, based on six community population divisions. Applications for awards may be submitted by a variety of community representatives, such as local governments, schools, community organizations, chambers of commerce, Community Action agencies, Area Agencies on Aging or local job training organizations.

A team of impartial volunteer judges will evaluate the applications on need, use of resources and impact. Information will be gathered from two sources: the application and a project presentation to be given in Springfield. The judges will select the category winners and also nominate one project from each population division to receive the Governor's Cup, a traveling silver trophy that signifies the project deemed most representative of the spirit of Illinois volunteerism.

For more information on the Governor's Home Town Awards, including application details, visit www.ildceo.net.

[Text from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]