Mark your calendar for the City of Madison's Neighborhoods '06 Conference

Building Strong Neighborhoods. Learning from the Past. Looking into the Future. WHEN: Saturday, November 11th from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. WHERE: Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center The Neighborhoods ‘06 conference will be a chance to reflect on past achievements and to look to even better days ahead for Madison neighborhoods. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz will kick off the full-day event by presenting his thoughts about the City’s future to a crowd of neighborhood and community leaders. “Neighborhoods make a city,” said Cieslewicz. “We need to continue to empower and engage all residents in making their neighborhoods great places to live.” The conference offers 36 skills building workshops. In a session led by the mayor, participants can share ideas for what could be done to make the City’s neighborhoods even better. Or, they can hear the dynamic story of the Bridge-Lakepoint area where the City, business and real estate development professionals, and residents worked together to better their neighborhood by overcoming obstacles and building on strengths. Other workshops offer lessons in coalition building, newsletter writing, and working effectively with City staff, developers and boards and commissions. At the luncheon, Joel Bookman of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation - Chicago will share his stories of building connections including using “basketball on the block” to spark stronger relations among neighbors and provide a fun and healthy activity for youth. Mr. Bookman has nearly 30 years community building experience in Chicago including some of the City’s most economically and racially diverse neighborhoods. Also during the luncheon the First Annual Neighborhood of the Year Awards will be presented by the newly formed Madison Neighborhood Inc. Nomination forms are due October 20th, and are available at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/neighborhoods/neighborhoodconf2006/documen…. Neighborhoods Conference, Add One REGISTRATION - Registration by October 27th is less expensive and qualifies registrants for a drawing to pay for two activists to attend the 2007 Neighborhoods USA Conference in Baton Rouge, LA. This offer is made possible by MG&E. Register online: http://www.cityofmadison.com/neighborhoods/neighborhoodconf2006/. Email: Neighborhoods@cityofmadison.com and provide name, neighborhood affiliation, mailing address, telephone number and email address. Call: (608) 267-8727, Ext. 211 or (608) 267-1131, Ext. 219.