Want to download the 2008 conference award photos? Head over to Tim O'Brien's Flickr page: Flickr.com
2008 NCIP Community Notebook Advantage Award Recipients
Class I (Pop: 1-800)
1st - Farnam
2nd - Potter
3rd - Bassett
Class IIa (Pop: 801-1,700)
1st - Laurel
2nd - Scribner
3rd - Hartington
Class IIb (Pop: 1,701-5,000)
1st - Imperial
2nd - Wahoo
3rd - Ainsworth
Class IV (Pop: 5,001 and over)
1st - Alliance
2nd - South Sioux City
3rd - Papillion
Class VI (Multi-Community)
1st - Pawnee County
2nd - Seward County
2008 NCIP Special Award Recipients
Volunteer & Leadership Development
Class II — Friendship Garden.
Class III — Lifetime Presidential Volunteer Service Awards.
Class IV — Furnas/Harlan Partnership – Leadership Plenty Class
— (tie) Seward County – Volunteer Leadership
Youth Involvement & Leadership Development
Class I — Farnam - YCIP.
Class II — Ravenna – United Methodist Youth Group Love in Action Food Pantry.
Business Assistance & Development
Class I — Petersburg – Economic Development and Growth for Petersburg.
Class II — Ainsworth – Building Our Future One Business at a Time.
Class III — Alliance – Box Butte County Health Fair.
Class IV — Valley County – VCED Business Development.
Tourism Promotion & Development
Class I — Farnam – Farnam Founders’ Days Improvements.
Class II — Hartington – Hartington Q125: A Spectacular Success.
Class III — Seward – Tourism.
Class IV — Garfield & Valley County – Loup River Valley Tourism Coalition Marketing Campaign.
Workforce Development
Class II — Kimball – Kimball Hospital Foundation Scholarship.
Class III — South Sioux City – 21st Century Learning.
Class IV — Dawson County – http://www.dawsoncountycareers.com.
Technology, Infrastructure & Planning
Class I — Petersburg – Improvement of Water, Sewer, & Streets.
Class II — Wisner – Downtown Improvement District.
Class IV — Dawson County – Dawson Area Housing Market Study.
Parks, Recreation & Environmental Awareness
Class I — Hartington – Felber Park and Community Complex Enhancements.
Class II — Wisner – Downtown Improvement District.
Class III — Seward – Environmental Projects 2008.
Class IV — Scottsbluff/Gering – Earth Day Celebration.
Arts & Humanities
Class I — Bassett – Cemetery Directory Kiosk.
Class II — Stromsburg – “For the Record” Recordings of Veterans’ Stories.
Class III — South Sioux City – The Wall that Heals in Siouxland.
Community Services
Class I — Potter – Potter-Dix Early Learning Facility.
— Honorable Mention: Farnam - Library.
Class II — Loup City: Parental Involvement Program at Loup City Public Schools.
Class III — Nebraska City – Growing Greater Kids for Otoe County.
— Honorable Mention – Alliance – Read for a Ride.
Youth Leadership for Outstanding Community Service (YLOCS)
Class I — Kevin Ripp – Pleasanton.
Class II — Christina Rice – Ravenna.
Class III — Neil DeVorss – Nebraska City.
Founder’s Award: School Districts of Laurel-Concord, Newcastle, Coleridge, & Wynot – Innovation: School & Community Planning
Good Neighbor Award: Eustis and Farnam
Marilyn Ristine Award: Kathy Worrell, Ainsworth
Otto Hoiberg Award (Top Overall Community): Farnam
2007 NCIP Conference Winners
Photos of NCIP awards banquet
The Good Neighbor Award West Point and Beemer National FFA Organization(FFA)
Youth Leadership for Outstanding Community Service
Class II (Pop: 701-2,000) — Lane Carr, Ainsworth.
Class III (Pop: 2,001-5,000) —Bergan Carr, O’Neill.
Class IV (Pop: 5,001-8,000) — Madison Ferris, Nebraska City.
Class V (Pop: 8,001 or more) — Sara Watson, Alliance.
Class VI (Multi-Communities) — Roger Cattle, Seward County.
Community Development Awards, given for overall excellence in community and economic development, were presented as follows:
Class I: (Pop. 1-700) —Bassett (652)
Class II: (Pop. 701-2,000) —Laurel (986)
Class III: (Pop. 2,001-5,000) —Gothenburg (3,681)
Class IV: (Pop: 5,001-8,000) —Nebraska City (7,228)
Class V: (Pop: 8,001 and over) —South Sioux City (11,925)
Class VI: (Multi-Community) —Pawnee County
Volunteer and Leadership Development
Class I: Alexandria – Annual Meal and Melodrama
Class II: Loup City – U.S.O. Dance & Canteen
Class III: Aurora – Leadership Academy for Juniors
Class IV: Sidney – Cub Scout Pack 90
Class V: Beatrice – Leadership Beatrice
Class VI: Custer Country – World War II Hero Flight
Youth Involvement and Leadership Development
Class I: Farnam – YCIP Recycling
Class II: Ainsworth – Youth Group Helps Hurricane Victims
Class III: Gothenburg – Gothenburg FFA “Growing Entrepreneurs”
Class IV: Nebraska City – Youth and Adults in Action (YAA)
Class V: Scottsbluff – Teen Advisory Council
Business Assistance & Development
Class I: Petersburg – Grocery Store Saved
Class II: Hartington – Education and Passing of LB840
Class III: Aurora – Aurora Technology Center (ATC)
Class V: Columbus – Drive for Five
Class VI: Holt County – Holt County 2010 Initiative
Tourism Promotion & Development
Class I: Pilger – 5th Annual Sweet Corn & Hamburger Feed
Class II: Ainsworth – National Day of the Cowboy
Class III: Gothenburg – “Cindermates”
Class IV: Nebraska City – 20th Jaycee’s Independence Day Celebration
Class V: Alliance – Carhenge Visitor’s Center
Class VI: Garfield & Valley County – ESCAPE to Calamus and Scenic Loup River Valley
Public Works, Facilities, Services, and Planning
Class II: Burwell – Comprehensive Planning
Class III: Wahoo – New Saunders Medical Center
Class VI: Pawnee County – DuBois Post Office
Environmental Projects & Awareness
Class I: Farnam – Lions Metal Recycling
Class II: Deshler – Clean Sweep of Deshler
Class IV: Sidney – Keep Sidney Beautiful: Great Trash Race
Parks, Recreation & Forestry
Class II: Laurel – Laurel Municipal Pool Facility
Class III: David City – Handicapped Accessible Fishing Pier
Class V: Alliance – North Central Park Improvements
Arts & Humanities
Class I: Alexandria – Historic School Gets Facelift
Class II: Ainsworth – Enriching Our Lives through the Arts
Class III: Cozad – 2007 Year of the Windmill
Class IV: Nebraska City – Museum of Firefighting and Educational Center
Class V: Columbus – Columbus Sesquicentennial
Class VI: Dawson County – Historical Society and Museum: Building for the Future
Community Services
Class I: Bassett – Magic of Christmas
Class II: Blue Hill – Blue Hill Fitness Center, Inc.
Class III: O’Neill – Orthopedic Physician Recruitment
Class V: Grand Island – Family Day in the Park
Class VI: (tie) Dawson County – Dawson County Edge Coalition, and
Gering/Scottsbluff – Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event
Founder’s Award: Wahoos and Colons Water Project
Marilyn Ristine Leadership Award: Dorothy Symonsbergen - Nebraska City
Workforce Development Star Award: Dawson County
Otto Hoiberg Award: Bassett
2006 NCIP Conference Winners
2006 NCIP Community Notebook Advantage Award Recipients
CLASS I (1-550 pop)
1st – Coleridge
2nd – Farnam
3rd – Bancroft
CLASS II (551-1000 pop)
1st – Bassett
2nd – Blue Hill
3rd – Culbertson
CLASS III (1001-4000 pop)
1st – Ravenna
2nd – Ainsworth
3rd (tie) – Hartington and Neligh
CLASS IV (4001-10000 pop)
1st – Alliance
2nd – Cozad
3rd – Wahoo
CLASS V (10001 and over pop)
1st – South Sioux City
2nd – North Platte
3rd – Columbus
CLASS VI (Multi-Community)
1st – Pawnee County
2nd – Seward County
3rd – Loup Basin Region
2006 NCIP Special Award Recipients
Volunteer and Leadership Development
Class I: Davenport – Davenport Achievement Day
Class II: Blue Hill – Blue Hill Community Club
Class III: Neligh – Neligh Citizen Coalition
Class IV: Nebraska City – Leadership Nebraska City
Class V: South Sioux City – Leadership Dakota County
Class VI: Loup Basin Region – Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt
Youth Involvement and Leadership Development
Class I: Coleridge – South With Santa & Special Folk
Class III: Ravenna – We’ve Got Your Back
Class IV: Alliance – Native American Youth Council
Class V: Lexington – Lexington Skate Park Challenge
Business Assistance & Development
Class I: Coleridge – Grocery Store Exchanges Hands. Builds New!
Class II: Blue Hill – Fashion Wear Extravaganza & Silent Auction
Class III: Kimball High Point Business Quest
Class IV: Wayne – Wayne Area Economic Development Inc.
Class V: North Platte – Hidden Treasures Home Business Expo
Class VI: Seward County – Creating an Economic Development Office
Tourism Promotion & Development
Class I: Eustis - BRAN
Class II: Bassett – Rock County Fair and Parade
Class III: Ainsworth – National Day of Cowboy
Class IV: Alliance – Sallows Military Museum
Class VI: Pawnee County – Brochures for Pawnee County and Pawnee City
Public Works, Facilities, Services, and Planning
Class I: Diller – Diller Community Building Renovation
Class II: Stuart – Volunteer Fire Department Training
Class III: Ainsworth – Brown County Hospital Special Bond Election
Class V: Lexington – Lexington Public Library
Environmental Projects & Awareness
Class I: Pilger – Scrap Tire Collection
Class IV: Alliance – KAB Intercoastal Cleanup Garage Sale
Class VI: Loup Basin Region – Cedar River Stabilization Erosion Site Completion
Parks, Recreation & Forestry
Class I: Springview – Restroom Renovation and Camper Pads
Class II: Culbertson – Twin Rivers Walking Trail
Class III: Burwell – Trotting on a New Track
Class IV: Wahoo – New Aquatic Center
Class V: Columbus – Columbus Water Park-Pawnee Plunge
Class VI: Pawnee County – Prairie Hills Connector Trail
Arts & Humanities
Class I: Coleridge – Tootin’ Our Horns Down Constitution Avenue
Class II: Bassett – Bassett Arts Council’s 30th Anniversary
Class III: Gothenburg – Light Up the Sun
Honorable Mention: Neligh – Jammin’ in the Park
Class IV: Nebraska City – River Country Nature Center
Honorable Mention: Wayne – WSO Show
Community Services
Class I: Farnam – Revitalize the Library
Class II: Franklin – CHIP (Child Identification Program)
Class III: Kimball – The Movin’ on Gang: A Community Health Support & Education Group
Class V: Scottsbluff – Recycle Your Cycles
Class VI: Dawson County – Dawson County Housing Solutions
Youth Leadership for Outstanding Community Service (YLOCS)
Class I: Becky Thorberg - Petersburg
Class II: Christina Kaup – Stuart
Class III: Andrea Skrdla - Atkinson
Class IV: Hannah Steele - Alliance
Class V: Mary Jacobson – North Platte
Class VI: Nathan Lee – Seward County
Founder’s Award: Dawson County – Advocating Business Labor Education
Good Neighbor Award: Seward – nominated by Seward County
Citizen Corps Council of the Year Award: Scotts Bluff County
Marilyn Ristine Award: Jim Leifeld - Petersburg
Otto Hoiberg Award: Bassett
Improve Infrastructure 
