As the All-America City Awards, Jury Foreman Sharon Metz, announced the winners, a theme ran through the room. We are all winners. It was repeated with nearly every speaker.
Of course, when the 10th city is called up and you realize your community has not yet taken the stage, winner isn't the word you think of right away. The words to describe the let-down just hang beyond reach.
You feel a little numb from the high levels of energy you've been generating and feeding from the past three days. You sit there clapping for the 11th spot "Heros of America" that are honored following the elite 10.
Then you realize they are going to call you up. . .eventually. What will you say when it's your turn to face the podium and take the final bow? You listen for your cue and continue to cheer up and cheer on those around you who share your runner-up status.
And then the Senior Vice President of the National Civic League, Derek Okubo says, "Next is a community that represents honesty and integrity in our country, Scott County". That's all you hear. Honesty and integrity is how the National Civic League sees Scott County, Kansas.
And as the delegates for Scott County take the stage for their final bow, we walk on with pride in our community and in the knowledge that we showed them our best and the best they saw in us, was honesty and integrity.
As our Mayor Dan Goodman stated "In the past 60 years a variety of people stood up here and said that we are all winners and that is really the truth".
While we don't have the prostitution issues of Lynwood, Calif., or 680 homeless youth living in our streets as Rancho Cordova, Calif., have to overcome, we do have qualities that represent the values of our country, the strength of our nation and leadership that is a role model for other communities to follow in order to grow and become home for their future generations.
This delegation left Scott City as leaders and individuals. It returns as a driving force, full of more hope and growth for the future our community.
The 10 All-America Cities for 2010 are:
Chandler, Arizona
Lynwood, California
Rancho Cordova, California
North Miami, Florida
Acworth, Georgia
Des Moines, Iowa
Salisbury, Maryland
Gastonia, North Carolina
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
El Paso, Texas