Give Ten Cheers a Day for Michigan Towns to Enhance Their Communities


LANSING, MI--(Marketwire - January 21, 2011) -

What: Reader's Digest "We Hear You America" will award cash donations to cities and towns to help them enhance community projects for residents and visitors.

  • There are several Michigan cities already on the voting ticket including Grand Marais, Albion and St. Johns -- each are in the top 5 cheered towns of more than 400 in contention.
  • Grand Marais leads with 344,803 cheers as of January 20, 2011.
  • The Municipal First Place prize is $40,000 plus the winning town will appear in the May issue of Reader's Digest and be a stop on the Reader's Digest RV tour of America.
  • Voting participants are also eligible for a variety of prizes.

How: Michigan residents and fans can cheer (vote) online, up to ten cheers each day, at the We Hear You America web site: http://wehearyouamerica.readersdigest.com

  • Cheers can go for any of the Michigan towns already listed on the Web site, or they can nominate a city.

Why: Communities will use award money to improve their towns.

  • Grand Marais would use funds to help build a new break wall for its harbor.
  • St. Johns is working toward building a new community water spray park to replace the community pool.
  • In Albion prize money ideas include improvements to the senior center, river trail and the historical Bohm Theatre.

Quote from George Zimmermann, Vice President, Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation:

"We support our Michigan cities and towns as they each have valuable tourism qualities that make our state such a great place to visit. This contest is a fun way to support Pure Michigan communities and make them winners. We hope many more people will cheer them on to victory."

Contact Information:

Travel Michigan Media Contacts:

Dave Lorenz
517-243-3073

Joanna Wilbee Amis
906-399-8757