Honor Your Hometown campaign puts Bismarck in the spotlight

BISMARCK, N.D. - A new nationwide campaign designed to encourage people to come together and "Honor Your Hometown" is shining a light on Bismarck in a video with Mayor Steve Bakken.

The Honor Your Hometown effort, which kicked off today and runs through Thanksgiving, is being supported by a roster of legendary entertainers and country music artists, prominent cultural, community service and veterans' institutions, and mayors and leaders from all 50 states. It is spearheaded by well-known documentary producer Ken Burns and Country Music Hall of Fame member Marty Stuart.

This national effort is designed to encourage Americans to celebrate their hometowns and reflect on their shared experiences and common values. "Never before has such an impressive and diverse group of prominent individuals, organizations and institutions come together to advance one common goal: to help heal some of the division in our country by focusing on what unites and inspires us the most - our ties to our community and our hometowns," organizers said. "The hope for the campaign is that it will lead to an annual celebration of hometowns across America."

Supporters include Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jon Batiste, Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert and Kristin Chenoweth, along with mayors and leaders of all 50 states.

Mayor Steve Bakken said, "It is an honor to have Bismarck as part of the Honor Your Hometown effort representing our city, the Capital City of North Dakota. Bismarck is a vibrant, growing community that brings people together. Bismarck is a place our residents are proud to call home."

In a video created to go along with the campaign titled "Our Hometown: Bismarck, North Dakota," Mayor Bakken stands upon the historic site of Chief Looking's Village nestled high above the scenic east bank of the Missouri River, the original Main Street of North Dakota. "The Bismarck riverfront is a source of recreation and commerce where our people enjoy the great outdoors we treasure - a place where the beauty of North Dakota begins." To view the video visit www.bismarcknd.gov or www.facebook.com/bismarckndgov.

The nonprofit behind Honor Your Hometown is asking anyone interested in participating to post a short video on social media, focusing on what you love most about your own town. Use the hashtag #HonorYourHometown to join the effort. For more information and to see the links to all the inaugural Honor Your Hometown videos, you can visit www.honoryourhometown.com.