If you haven’t seen this wonderful video I suggest you do so immediately. Go to Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-America-City-Awards/277887828621?sk=app_2392950137 ) and take a peek back at our history.

This video was produced as Fayetteville’s entry into the video contest as one of the requirements for competing for the recognition as an All America City. Fayetteville, along with 26 other communities across the country, is in competition for this recognition and is attempting to become a “three-peat” winner of the prestigious All America City award being presented this week in Kansas City by the National Civic League.

This 1:27 minute video is extremely impressive, meaningful and impactful. Hopefully, it won enough votes during the competition to complement our victory as one of the Top 10 All America Cities in the nation. This masterpiece was produced by Moonlight Communications specifi cally for the competition and it so eloquently describes, through sight and sound, how our Vietnam-era community transitioned and rose, like a phoenix from the ashes, to become the prominent and respected community we are today.

It has an even more special and compelling meaning for those of us who were actually living here during the turbulent ‘70s and transitional ‘80s. Only those who actually lived here during this time can really appreciate the sense of transition, achievement and accomplishment that we know and enjoy today. Without a doubt, this history and heritage serves only to enhance the sense of pride we have when calling Fayetteville home.

We were here. We walked the streets, ate in the restaurants, shopped in the stores and enjoyed the venues that were Fayetteville then. Fayetteville was not a horrible place. This community wasn’t all about all drugs, naked pole dancers and rough and tumble, bar-hopping roughnecks looking for a dare. It was the ‘70s for heaven’s sake and Fayetteville, not unlike other communities across the nation, was just trying to cope with the horror of war and the many other turbulent social issues cast upon our society.

It was the decade of Easy Rider, bell-bottom pants, Woodstock, miniskirts and go-go boots, wild parties and Cold Duck! Locally, residents remember (because they were there) Steve’s Tower in the Sky, the Royal Box at the St. James Inn, The Skyline Night Club at the top floor of what is now the Systel Building, the Pink Pussy Cat, A.J.’s Philadelphia Subs and Sir William’s. There were also great eating places like the Lobster House, the Grecian Garden on Village Drive or Bragg Boulevard’s legendary line up of Dino’s, the Empire Steak House, The Barn and even Fayetteville’s fi rst the 24-hour Dunkin’ Donuts when it was located where Jim’s restaurant is today across from Eutaw Shopping Center.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s we had the Fort Bragg Playhouse, Fayetteville Little Theatre, a brand new Headquarters Library, the Fayetteville Museum of Art and a “little” church called Village Baptist.

As a teenage solider returning from Vietnam in the late ‘60s, I came to Fayetteville for the first time and like many, never returned home. Fayetteville became my home. I celebrated my 21st birthday while at Fort Bragg and I can speak to the fact that one thing has not changed, the people. The people who make up the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community are warm, sensitive and caring residents. They are the one constant factor that makes us unique and defi nes who we are as a community. I, like thousands of others, have personally experienced this sincere southern hospitality and it was the deciding and defining factor not only on why I stayed here, but why I created a community newspaper that would accentuate and celebrate the “quality of life” values that shape and defi ne our community. I have no idea what the criteria was for winning the 1985 All America City award, but, I assure you, it had everything to do with the people who live here.

Well, at this writing, the official designation of the All America City for 2011 is fi ve days away. So, with that being the case, and even though you may be reading this online Tuesday afternoon or in the actual newspaper on Wednesday, we want to be the fi rst to congratulate Fayetteville on its third All America City designation. I have no doubt we will win based on the heart and soul of our residents and the dedication, hard work and perseverance of our civic and governmental leadership. Talented and progressive leadership has gotten us where we are today. Our vision is strong and our future looks bright. Yes, we are truly the All America City.

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.