Starting Labor Day, the national spotlight will be on Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Twin Cities, along with the town of Bloomington, are getting ready for the thousands of delegates, journalists, volunteers and politicos to descend upon them at the end of month. On July 28, city officials launched the "Spruce Up MSP" campaign to encourage local residents to help put the cities' best face on by planting flowers, adding a fresh coat of paint to their house as well as by displaying American flags. In return, the families and businesses that do the best job at making their towns shine will receive a reward, including a red carpet convention package. In addition to this patriotic primping, 10,000 area residents have volunteered with the Host Committee. Other residents are going as far as organizing car washes for taxis to make sure everything in the city makes a good impression.
