VRCities is committed to the development of prosperous communities by using the power of the Internet to foster and support positive communications among people.

    We are proud to be Co-Sponsors with other businesses and organizations in the Niagara Region, including Western New York and Southern Ontario, of the Second Annual Niagara Heritage and Pride Campaign.

    The goal of the Campaign is to increase awareness of the Niagara Region's rich heritage and concurrently to raise funds for the benefit of Western Door Playhouse, a not-for-profit theatrical group dedicated to producing plays that celebrate the history of the area.

    This web page will serve as communications central for coordinating the Campaign, which will expand every year. Please contact us if you want to particate or help.

    Did you know that the Niagara region is one of the most historically and culturally significant parts of the country? Why not tell everybody and be proud about it? And what better way to do that then through online activities complemented by support from local media.

Campaign Activities

The organizing sponsors will target a minimum of 200,000 persons by the end of the campaign period for 2008. We expect that this number will increase substantially the each year.

• Promote performances of Plays staged by Western Door Playhouse about Niagara heritage themes.
• Collaborate with other organizations that are telling similar stories to promote the same values such as the Motherland Connection which hosts the Underground Rail Road Tours (Kevin Cottrell 278-1719), the Heritage Tourism Board, and the Agritourism Council.
• Coordinate with social science and history teachers to include this material in their courses at local schools.
• Provide special web pages, sponsor links and web site information to facilitate communication and collaboration.
• Electronic newsletters to go out biweekly to Niagara region residents.
• Special online promotions and events including online chats, forums and discussion groups, and share your heritage online!
• Promote offline events, which honor these cultural values and traditions, creating pride within the community.
• Participate in local events such as community block parties to enhance community identity and pride.
• Facilitate local communication year-around and provide for cross-promotional activities.
• Expand the community by creating an outreach program to go beyond local boundaries with this theme.

Campaign sponsors will use very attractive prizes and premiums to encourage participation. The Internet makes such participation convenient, fast and painless.

Community and Business Benefits

1. People will know more about the historical and cultural importance of the region and be more supportive of community initiatives and one-another.
2. People living in the region will be more aware and proud of their heritage.
3. Businesses can sponsor and participate in a campaign that has a very positive profile and will reach a large number of people at very low cost.
4. Residents and businesses will be more familiar with the ways that online and offline communications can be coordinated to achieve both community and business marketing results.

What You Can Do

You can join the campaign and work with us even if you have very little time. At a minimum you can:

• Subscribe to the Campaign's electronic newsletter
• Tell your friends
• Make suggestions
• Visit campaign web pages
• Post messages

• Community coordinators (1-2 hours per week)
• Discussion moderators (1 hour per week)
• Story collectors (? whatever time you have)
• Web page designers (? 1-2 hours per week or more)
• Telephone message coordinators (3-4 hours per month or less)
• Administration (help keep track of activities, 4-8 hours per month)
• Help sell raffle and theater tickets (whatever time you have)
• Public relations (4-8 hours per month)
• Make up your own (what ever time you have that can help

Organizational Networking

    If your organization would like to join forces with us in this Common Cause, please contact:

niagara.heritage@vrcities.net

    This page will be updated continuously.  Be sure to bookmark it and revisit.