Nine neighborhoods graduate ‘Blueprint Communities’ training, unveil revitalization plans

Gov.-elect Markell spurs teams to success.

Community teams listen as plans are presented.

Edgemoor takes top honors for plan presentation.

The panel of judges evaluates community plans.

Wilmington 2nd District teammates enjoy lunch.

Gov.-elect Markell and Congressman Castle support community teams.

On January 16, Governor-elect Jack Markell, Congressman Michael Castle and a host of other dignitaries congratulated nine teams of civic leaders representing Delaware’s first Blueprint Communities. The teams had undergone nine months of Blueprint Communities leadership training, culminating in a graduation ceremony held on the Wilmington campus of the University of Delaware. The ceremony followed presentations by the teams unveiling their new community plans.

Also speaking at the day’s events were Wilmington Mayor James Baker, Dover Mayor Carleton Carey, New Castle County Executive Chris Coons and University of Delaware President Patrick Harker.

Said Gov.-elect Markell: “When I think about this Blueprint Communities program, it’s really about the idea of people from within their community getting together to figure out what’s important to them, and how they can best invest together their time, their resources and their energy to make their community exactly what they want it to be.”

Presenting their plans for the future and graduating the initiative were teams from:

• Belvedere/Cedar Heights and Vicinity
• Dover Community Partnership
• East Side, Wilmington
• Edgemoor
• Hilltop/Little Italy, Wilmington
• Historic Overlook Colony Vicinity
• Riverside Initiative, Wilmington
• Second District, Wilmington
• Simonds Garden

Each team received a graduation certificate signed by the Blueprint Communities sponsors. Three teams were singled out for exemplary plan presentations and received framed citations:

First place: Edgemoor

Second place: Historic Overlook Colony Vicinity

Third place: East Side, Wilmington

“The Blueprint Communities initiative was a very enlightening experience and really brought Edgemoor together as a community,” said team leader Cheri Whitney, President of the Edgemoor Revitalization Committee (ERC). The Edgemoor team already has plans to buy a house and rehab it into a community outreach center this spring. “The knowledge we gained from all these excellent people was just amazing,” said Whitney. “It really set us on a path to bring great things to Edgemoor.”

Judges of the presentations included:

• John Bendel – Community Investment Director, FHLBank Pittsburgh
• Rhonda Graham – Editorial Board Member, The News Journal
• Michelle Taylor – President and CEO, United Way of Delaware
• Jane Vincent – SVP for Development, Delaware Community Foundation

Presentations were judged on the following criteria: Overall Organization and Layout of Document, Presence and Quality of Planning Elements, Quality of Exposition, Planning Evaluation and Presentation of the Plan.

In addition, Delaware Community Investment Corporation provided a $100,000 grant in support of the Blueprint Communities initiative and was presented a plaque during the graduation recognizing its contribution.

Sponsored by FHLBank Pittsburgh and the University of Delaware’s Center for Community Research and Service, the Blueprint Communities initiative was unveiled last March. It provided each team with community development training valued at approximately $25,000, including:

• Six days of community revitalization training
• A community profile including important key indicators and trends
• Access to coaching from a community development consultant
• A mini-grant for technical assistance, project implementation or predevelopment needs
• Improved access to funding sources following graduation

The university’s Center for Community Research and Service was primarily responsible for team training.

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