(Dalton, GA – May 12, 2016) – Local non-profit Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful received the Governor’s Circle Award on January 26. The statewide awards were presented by Governor Nathan Deal at the State Capitol as part of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation’s Annual Legislative Day.
The Governor’s Circle Award recognizes exemplary performance by certified affiliates in reducing litter, minimizing waste and greening local communities. To qualify for the Governor’s Circle Award, affiliates must be in good standing with Keep America Beautiful; conducting an annual Litter Index, calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio and engaging volunteers to take greater responsibility for their community environment. Additionally, the affiliate must be an active member of the Georgia network. Georgia is the first state in the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) network to create a Governor’s Circle Award modeled on KAB’s national good standing designation.
“The affiliates receiving the Governor’s Circle Award represent the best of community improvement efforts”, said Sarah Visser, Executive Director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, “they are doing the hard work every day to keep their communities economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable”.
Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful also received received the 2015 Keep America Beautiful President Circle Award recognition at Keep America Beautiful’s recent National Conference in Orlando, Florida. The President’s Circle Award recognizes exemplary performance made by certified affiliates of the national nonprofit in creating clean, green and beautiful communities.
In qualifying for a President’s Circle Award, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful has met KAB’s standards of merit by conducting an annual Community Appearance Index, calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio, and administering activities in the areas of litter prevention, recycling and waste reduction, and beautification and community greening. Established in 1953, KAB consists of a national network of more than 600 community-based affiliates whose programs, initiatives and efforts aim to transform public spaces into beautiful places.
“One of Keep America Beautiful’s most effective tools is the work of our grassroots network of affiliate organizations, which has an impact on millions of Americans each year,” said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Jehn. “Our affiliates are providing real solutions that help create communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound.”
In 2015 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s volunteer board hosted and facilitated several activities including the annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Day, Composting Awareness Week, Adopt-a-Mile litter cleanups, Ecumenical Earth Day, Conasauga Watershed River Cleanup, and environmental education sessions for children and adults.
During this time the litter prevention committee established the educational campaign “Love it, don’t trash it!” #LiveLitterFree. The recycling committee sponsored the sustainability themed mural “An Earth Worth Saving” located at Thornton Ave. and Waugh St. And, the beautification committee provided grants for school gardens to several local schools among other projects.
Visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org to register for the KDWB newsletter or call 706-278-5001 to find out how you can volunteer or participate in events.
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About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a national network of community-based affiliates, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. To learn how you can donate and take action, visit kab.org, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.
About Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation (KGBF)
Created in 1978 by Governor George Busbee, Keep Georgia Beautiful (KGB), became the first state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. In 2011, the Keep Georgia Beautiful program merged with the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, Inc. which was created in 1985 to promote private sector financial support for worthwhile educational programs that enhance the environment and the quality of life in Georgia. KGBF coordinates a number of environmental efforts including the Great American Cleanup™ and the statewide Bring One for the Chipper Christmas tree recycling program. The Foundation is based on a fundamental premise that the environmental interests of the state of Georgia and the people who live here are best served when public and private interests work hand-in-hand to achieve common goals. Our connections with the public and private sectors aid us in our mission to support local Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliates as they build and sustainable communities through litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, water resource management and community greening. For more information about the KGB Foundation, please visit www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org or call the office at (404) 679-4910.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful
- Website: www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful
- Office: 706-226-6211
