FAIRVIEW – Michigan communities in Oscoda, Livingston and Gratiot counties received a total of $50,000 for projects designed to make smaller Michigan communities better places to live and work after winning the Consumers Energy Foundation’s 2021 “Put Your Town on the Map” competition.
Comins Township received the first place award: $25,000. The money will be used to create a diverse public square designed for community events and tourism promotion.
The Comins project finished ahead of other submissions from Pinckney, Alma, Clare, Fowlerville, Galesburg, Manistee, Marshall, Sanford and Vassar.
“Small and rural towns are an integral part of the fabric that makes up our great state, which is why Consumers Energy is proud to champion programs like the ‘Put Your Town on the Map’ competition to transform and revitalize communities,” said Roger Curtis, vice president of public affairs for Consumers Energy. “We were delighted to receive nearly 100 submissions from across the state for projects that strive to enhance communities and engage residents.”
A panel of judges chose the Comins Township project after officials made presentations at the 2021 Small Town and Rural Development Conference led by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan, or CEDAM.Consumers Energy created the competition to reward ideas and provide critical dollars for projects in small towns throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Communities with a population of up to 10,000 were eligible.
