JASPER — Jasper is one of 50 communities working on efforts to be named the top winner in the America's Best Communities contest, and the team leading the effort is working to show competition organizers how the prize money would be used for revitalization efforts in the community should Jasper win the $3 million, $2 million or $1 million prize.
But there are 49 communities in the running. Are they as determined?
“When I was looking, it seemed like no one was at the level where we are,” said Darla Blazey, a member of Jasper’s ABC team and the city’s director of community development and planning.
Yes, she has checked out the competition.
“There are some that use social media more than others,” she said. “But their number of followers don’t compare to us.”
Most ABC contest communities with pages have between 300 to 700 followers; as of Thursday, Jasper’s page had more than 1,700. The team wants to increase the number with online giveaways to encourage users to follow the page.
Eleven Indiana communities are in the top-50 list. Joining Jasper are Angola, Greencastle, LaPorte, Lafayette, Madison, Richmond, Terre Haute, Valparaiso, Wabash and Whitfield.
All communities are generating videos each month touting their communities. They’re also generating plans for using the money, should they win. Very few seem to have gone much beyond that.
Terre Haute does have a website and Facebook page that has documents on long-term community plans as well as videos of the community. The city is planning to have a community conference this month to discuss ideas for a career advancement program the community would implement, should it win the contest.
The City of Lafayette keeps information on its efforts by way of its city website, but content has been sparse. The city will have a public workshop and presentation this month to craft plans for revitalization.
Like Jasper, LaPorte uses the city website to disseminate information and has a Facebook page dedicated to its efforts for the competition. Wabash uses Facebook to promote the community and its events. It has created T-shirts touting the city’s involvement in the competition.
Along with touring the community, Jasper has been publicly discussing and showing revitalization plans. In particular, plans for making improvements around Courthouse Square and changing the former Hoosier Desk building at Third, Fourth and Mill streets have been showcased in the community and online via the Facebook page “Jasper, IN. America’s Best Communities.”
“We have a lot going on in comparison to the others I’ve seen,” Blazey said.
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