Marion Competing in Strongest Town Competition

The Marion Community is going head-to-head with 15 other North American cities in the 10th Annual Strongest Town Contest.

Marion has advanced to the Sweet-Sixteen this week and needs everyone in Marion, in Ohio, and around the country to cast their vote for us! In this bracket-style voting tournament, Marion will compete for the “Strongest Town” title by shining a national spotlight on the work it’s doing to become a stronger, more resilient city.

Cast your vote for Marion this week and every week at strongesttown.com.

Voting is open Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. EST

Progress, Not Perfection

The Strongest Town Contest celebrates progress, not perfection. A “strong town” is any town, big or small, that is taking tangible steps to overcome its transportation, housing, or financial challenges. Strong Towns refers to this methodology as the “Strong Towns Approach,” and this contest spotlights the work of city residents and leaders who are using this approach to become more resilient over time.

Strongest Town Voting

Here’s how voting works. Competitors advance over five, weekly rounds. Anyone can vote once per week, and votes are tallied Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Winners are notified each Friday.

In the first, risk-free round, Marion competed with three other cities for an honorary title to recognize its efforts toward “Rightsizing Parking Policy.”

All cities advanced to Round 2, when bracket-style eliminations will begin and winners will advance based on the number of votes collected that week.

Brackets

* Round 1: Meet Your Contestants (March 3-6).
* Round 2: Sweet Sixteen (March 10-13)
* Round 3: Elite Eight (March 17-20).
* Round 4: Final Four (March 24-27).
* Round 5: Championship (March 31-April 3).

Show the world how strong we are.

We Are Strong. We Are MarionMade! #MarionStrong #StrongestTown #OhioVersusTheWorld

How did Marion get nominated?

James Walker from the Marion County Regional Planning Commission nominated Marion. Read more here: Strongest Town Contest

What is Strong Towns?

Strong Towns is a 501c(3) non-profit and media advocacy organization that shifts conversations around the North American development pattern. Through reports, articles, podcasts, videos, live events and professional coaching, it provides knowledge and tools to help cities transform their communities. Learn more at strongesttown.com.

MarionMade! is a program of Marion Technical College.

Hometown Businesses Appreciate Shopper Support
When shoppers are searching for that perfect holiday present, they may not realize that each purchase can also be a gift to local business owners. The Andersonville Study of Retail Economics found that for every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $68 stays in the community. At a national chain, only $43 stays in the […]Read More »
James Elswick
James Elswick has lived in Marion since he was two years old. One interesting point about Elswick is his over 50 years of service to the community through Whirlpool. He is full of stories and memories of contributions to Marion. “I was the quintessential kid,” Elswick says of his childhood, “but a few oddball things […]Read More »
Volunteers Help Local Families Research Their Family Trees
When local residents want to research their family history, a group of volunteers is ready to assist them. The Marion Area Genealogy Society (MAGS) helps people find marriage licenses, birth records, death certificates, and other documents to shed light on family trees. MAGS is a fantastic resource for people looking into their ancestry. MAGS President […]Read More »
Empowered by Diversity Expo Encourages Local Students to Chart a Course for a Career
Nearly 200 local students from five local school districts came to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Marion County Fairgrounds to explore options for their future careers. Representatives from a variety of fields including manufacturing, small business owners, health, and law enforcement came to encourage these students to explore many possibilities. The event was the […]Read More »