Released on = December 20, 2005, 8:14 am

Press Release Author = Ingrid Lemme / American Dream Town

Industry = Non Profit

Press Release Summary = Winner of American Dream Town Award Competition 2006 confirmed!
American Dream Town of the Year 2006 is Abingdon, Virginia - \"Arts of Historic
Proportions\" founded in 1778, has long been a center for the cultural arts. With
buildings dating back to the 18th century, Abingdon features a twenty block historic
district that is on the National Register of Historic Places. America has voted for
the NEW American Dream Town - Abingdon, Virginia has won the prestigious annual
American Dream Town 2006 competition by People's Vote with most votes overall!
Abingdon, VA received 20,452 votes, followed by Locust Grove, OK with 5,589 votes
and Celebration, FL with 4,850 votes.

Press Release Body = Winner of American Dream Town Award Competition 2006 confirmed!
Winner of American Dream Town Award Competition 2006 confirmed!

American Dream Town of the Year 2006 is Abingdon, Virginia - \"Arts of Historic
Proportions\" founded in 1778, has long been a center for the cultural arts. With
buildings dating back to the 18th century, Abingdon features a twenty block historic
district that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The town received most
votes overall in the national, annual competition. Abingdon VA will be featured on
the American Dream Show on Hamptons TV - WVVH TV summer 2006. That is a half hour
talk show all about Abingdon.

America has voted for the NEW American Dream Town - Abingdon, Virginia has won the
prestigious annual American Dream Town 2006 competition by People's Vote with most
votes overall!
Abingdon, VA received 20,452 votes, followed by Locust Grove, OK with 5,589 votes
and Celebration, FL with 4,850 votes.

One Hundred Fifty towns national were up for vote, three in each state. And America
voted! Almost 50,000 votes came in over a time frame of six weeks. Abingdon VA was
nominated by Bruce Northam, a national Geographic Travel writer and \'off the beaten
path' advisory board member. Abingdon, VA founded in 1778 has long been a center for
the cultural arts. With buildings dating back to the 18th century, Abingdon features
a twenty block historic district that is on the National Register of Historic
Places, the town received most votes overall in the national competition.
http://www.americandreamtown.com/index.asp

"It is interesting how the competition affected our residents, kin, friends and
neighbors. Being a small town, people talk, and word spreads quickly throughout. I
was quite the advocate recommending to the audiences in my theaters here to go to
the ADT website and vote. And clearly many did. I noticed in your discussion of what
a dream town should be, that an nteractive website was on the list. Following our
victory, I discussed our existing website with the town\'s Mayor and Town Manager,
and they have enthusiastically agreed with me that our town\'s website needs to be
updated to be far more visually appealing, and they have asked if I will discuss
this with potential website designers. I find it fascinating that already the
competition you sponsored is going to lead to positive change in our town. I\'m sure
that more such changes will take place over the coming months as others make
suggestions for improvement of many natures. So again I must thank you and your
organization, this time for helping stimulate progress in our community." wrote
Steve Weston CEO, 21st Century Cinemas.

Past American Dream Town award winners are:

American Dream Town 2005
Braselton, Georgia

American Dream Town 2004
Glen Rose, Texas

American Dream Town 2003
Montauk, L.I. New York

Guidelines for Nominations

. Population - A town is a town, not a city. Though there is no hard line between a
town and city, we think towns are smaller and less urban and/or metropolitan. If you
need a number, try about 5,000, but that doesn't mean that if you have a wonderful
town much larger it shouldn't be nominated. But we are not looking for New York or
Baltimore, or even Riverside, CA or Denton, TX. It's small towns that will get the
nod, not the large ones.

. Pretty - This is about as subjective as you can get. Tell us why you like your
town, what is beautiful about it. Is it the architecture, the vistas, the
countryside, trees, landscape, etc. Let us know your view of your American Dream
Town.

. Pristine - Take into account such things as cleanliness, maintenance of the built
environment, preservation of historic and natural features, things that make your
town different and original.

. Patriotic - More than just flying a lot of flags. Why is your town a patriotic
town? How are you preserving the American Dreams of your forbearers? Do you have a
battleground, graveyard, or historic building that reflects on them? How about the
immigrant experience in your town? Everyplace has a history, and American Dream
Towns have a patriotic history. If you are nominating a new town, consider that a
monument or a small museum is a good start.

. Website - We really want a website, this is an interactive type of activity. We
are not looking for the best website, we are looking for a fine town.

. Dues or Fees? - The are NO dues or fees for any of the town that are nominated or
the people that are nominating their dream towns. The annual, national competition
is sponsored by Seven Stars & Stripes Awards Inc.
http://www.sevenstarsandstripes.com - Gurney\'s Inn Resort and Spa
http://www.GurneysInn.com and others - The American Dream Town board submits
nominations, too. http://www.americandreamtown.com/about.htm?frame

Web Site = http://www.americandreamtown.com/

Contact Details = Ingrid Lemme
631.668.4719
Montauk, NY 11954
739 Old Montauk Hwy
631.668.1883 FAX

President American Dream Town Competition
http://www.americandreamtown.com/
Host American Dream Show
http://www.americandreamshow.com/
Chairperson Seven Stars And Stripes
http://www.sevenstarsandstripes.com/index.asp