The Northeast-Midwest Institute's special event on Capitol Hill focused on opportunities to revitalize smaller older industrial cities in the NEMW region was a great success. The event was well-attended, and during the reception Representative Welch (VT-At Large) offered remarks on the importance of bipartisan collaboration in Washington to meet the needs of small cities and to cultivate their considerable assets to the NEMW region's economy and culture.  The reception was followed by a screening of "The Blood in This Town," a new documentary that chronicles a small NEMW regional town's drive to revitalize, and a vibrant panel discussion led by national, state, and local experts each working for the benefit of small cities.  Rep. Welch also commented on the film's featured town of Rutland, VT: “Rutland has faced a lot of challenges over the years -- from tough economic times to natural disasters. But every time you think Rutland might be down, it jumps back up.  What I like to see is people getting up, standing up and pulling together. That’s exactly what ‘The Blood in This Town’ is all about, the Rutland way of doing things."  The event was made possible by support from the State of Vermont's Department of Tourism and Marketing, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the German Marshall Fund.

Guests mingle and enjoy a taste of Vermont

NEMWI President Allegra Cangelosi talks with Rep. Welch (VT-At Large)

Panelists (from L-R) Steve Costello, Art Jones, John Robert Smith, Tara Kelly, and Paul Costello (moderator)