Representatives from the Community of East Jordan gather on stage to accept their award for Maniac of the Year.
By Amanda Baker, Downtown Development Coordinator
At Northern Lakes Economic Alliance the term “Maniac” is a badge of honor. We use it to describe those who remain focused and push through the hurdles in the name of progress. On May 11, 2018 the Maniac of the Year award was presented to the entire community of East Jordan to recognize their group approach to perseverance.
For a community to grow, a number of factors must fall into place at the right time and that can’t happen without a unified group of leaders. Everyone from City Hall, to the Chamber of Commerce, to the schools, businesses, and community service organizations have to be looking in the same direction to initiate the steps needed.
Many changes have taken place in East Jordan since 2016 and 2017, when years of planning turned into action. Leadership was able to work with various businesses to make operating in town a great option. Groups and organizations worked together to make town a place anyone would want to be. From physical changes like new flowers and relocating a train, to 5 new businesses, large private investments, and numerous upgrades, East Jordan has positioned itself on the fast track to becoming a true Live, Work, and Play destination.
The 2018 NLEA Maniac of the Year Award was presented to the community of East Jordan for their unified approach to improving their community, while staying true to who they are. City of East Jordan Mayor, Russ Peck, said he was honored to see East Jordan receive this award stating, “[East Jordan has] been actively taking steps to make our community a place that people want to live, work, and play for several years and it is amazing to see the changes that have come from our community members’ hard work.”
