Georgia has an All-America City

The city of Acworth has put itself on the map.

That's because the city is one of 10 winners in the All-America City contest, sponsored by the National Civic League.

Representatives from the 27 cities named as finalists traveled to Kansas City this week to give presentations. Acworth's delegation included more than 40 and included 25 special-needs children, Mayor Tommy Allegood told the AJC.

The city raised $1 million to build its special needs field to give more children the chance to play sports. Acworth's police department and citizens ran the bases for 24 hours as part of a fund raiser for the field.

Other success stories include the Horizon program, which provides special opportunities to children in the community, and a program that created a computer lab at a public housing complex, Allegood said.

"We're a community that gives and gives and gives," Allegood has said.

Only a handful of other Georgia cities have been named finalists in the competition, which began in 1949. Atlanta, Savannah, Toccoa, DeKalb County and Marietta were previous winners. Marietta was the most recent Georgia winner, taking the honor in 2006.

Other winners in this year's competition include:

  • Chandler, Arizona
  • Lynwood, California
  • Rancho Cordova, California
  • North Miami, Florida
  • Des Moines, Iowa
  • Salisbury, Maryland
  • Gastonia, North Carolina
  • Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
  • El Paso, Texas