A U.S. town still recovering from a devastating flood in December will get a free 4th of July celebration after winning the fourth annual Red, White and You contest.
Eureka, Mo., outside of St. Louis, was one of a record-breaking 6,400 entries from U.S. towns nationwide.
The annual contest, launched in February, is sponsored by Destination America, a TV network dedicated to all-American entertainment, and USA TODAY.
Resident Tony Colona nominated Eureka by telling the story of how the community has tried to rebuild itself after four days of heavy rainfall resulted in flooding after Christmas. The flood displaced thousands of residents and small business and put the town’s New Year’s Eve celebration on hold.
“Most of our downtown area, along with some subdivisions had close to 6 feet or more of standing water,” Colona wrote in his submission. “Our town rallied together to weather the storm, with many pitching in to sandbag or move people in danger, but much of our historic downtown area is still closed for repairs.”
Mayor Kevin Coffey said the disaster put the town’s motto “Eureka Strong!” to the test.
“Recent challenges have brought to the forefront the strength and character of our wonderful community and families,” he said. “Eureka truly represents the pride and principles of the American Spirit.”
Susan Motiff, vice president and general manager of USA TODAY, said “we’ve been inspired by the commitment of this community to persevere and honored to celebrate Eureka Strong!”
Past winners of the contest have included Waveland, Miss.; Oroville, Calif.; and Prescott, Ariz.
“Red, White and You is all about timeless American tradition, celebrating the qualities that make each hometown unique, and creating life-long memories with family and neighbors – all things that Eureka embraces now more than ever, making it truly deserving of the grand prize celebration,” said Jane Latman, general manager of Destination America.
