What Makes Wilmington Special? Liberty Mutual's Bring Back The 4th Contest!

(Each entry in this blog will highlight a person, place, or thing that makes Wilmington special.) 

Last year, Wilmington earned a $10,000 grant for our Fourth of July festivities, courtesy of Liberty Mutual’s inaugural “Bring Back The 4^th” contest.  Nearly 50,000 Americans – from more than 3,000 cities and towns – entered this nationwide online contest by simply completing a brief U.S. history quiz.  Through a good ole’ fashion (technological!) grassroot effort, Wilmington showed the rest of the country how it’s done!  Our town was one of the top three vote getters in its population category, sharing the honors with Bowling Green, Ohio and Montclair, New Jersey.  (Thankfully, we won the tie-breaker – Which community has the most Dunkin Donuts?)

Today (May 4) happens to be the FIRST day of this year’s “Bring Back The 4^th” Contest.  Can Wilmington make it two years in a row?  I encourage everyone to visit www.BringBackThe4th.com; complete the quiz (it’ll take less than 5 minutes and your score doesn’t matter!); and spread the word.  We have 6 weeks – until June 14^th – to generate as much citizen participation as possible.  Through the good work of the Fourth of July Committee and other civic-minded, engaged residents, Wilmington put itself on Liberty Mutual’s proverbial map last year.  Let’s all do our part to KEEP Wilmington on that map this year and receive another $10,000 grant!

Today is also Star Wars day!  (May the 4^th be with you, get it?)  Let me leave you with some Yoda wisdom… “Always pass on what you have learned” and “Try not.  Do or do not, there is no try.” 

For more information on last year’s successful efforts, visit:

- Wilmington Advocate: http://www.wickedlocal.com/wilmington/news/business/x1257427929/Wilmington-receives-10-000-for-this-years-July-4-celebration#axzz1LQe7Vd1r

- Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/06/wilmington_wins.html

- Town Topics: http://www.town.wilmington.ma.us/Pages/WilmingtonMA_Manager/7-2010.pdf

 For more information on how to talk like Yoda, visit:

- The Yoda-Speak Generator: http://www.yodaspeak.co.uk/index.php