Executive Director Report
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Thanks to everyone that participated in the Great American Cleanup, we have seen amazing photos and results this year. BUT – don’t stop the good work. We want Mississippi to always stay clean and green !
After reading KAB President, Helen Lowman’s latest ENews article on “
Secure Your Load
” – I am very interested in forming a task force to increase awareness in Mississippi regarding this problem of unsecured loads. If any of you are interested, please let me know so that we can work together on this very important issue. Please read Helen’s latest newsletter.
The month of June and July, Neeley and I are excited that we will be presenting Waste in Place teacher workshops in some of your communities. We are in hopes that these educators will take these lesson plans into the classrooms so that their students will take greater responsibility toward their environment in their communities.
Hope to see all of you June 20 for our fourth wildflower field day.
Enjoy these beautiful summer days.
Sarah
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KMB Board Member Installed as
National Garden Club President
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Keep MS Beautiful Board Member, Gay Austin, from McComb, MS was installed as the National Garden Club President at the 2019 National Garden Club convention on May 2 in Biloxi, MS.
Gay was the recipient of Keep MS Beautiful's most prestigious award in 2018, the Louise Godwin Award, for her commitment and volunteerism to beautify the state of Mississippi.
We are so proud and know that she will represent Mississippi well.
Pictured above is KMB Board Member Janet Sullivan-Vines, KMB Past Board Member Stephanie Hutchins, KMB Executive Director Sarah Kountouris,
KMB Past Board Member Eloise Cumbaa, KMB Board Members Dolphus Weary
and Gay Austin, and KMB Assistant Director Neeley Jones.
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Teacher Workshops Across Mississippi
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During the month of June and July, Keep Mississippi Beautiful staff will be conducting 6 teacher workshops using Keep America Beautiful's Waste In Place Curriculum Guide. Teachers will be able to take these lesson plans and use them in their classrooms to educate their students on litter prevention, landfills, recycling, and good stewardship of their community environment. Workshops will take place in Lauderdale County, Quitman County, Grenada County, Lowndes County, Humphreys County and Desoto County.
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Cigarette Litter Prevention Program Grant
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Congratulations to
Keep Canton Beautiful ($2,500)
and
Keep Copiah County Beautiful ($10,000)
for receiving Keep America Beautiful's 2019 Cigarette Litter Prevention Program grants.
A total of 50 grants were awarded throughout the Keep America Beautiful network.
The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP), now in its 18th year, is the nation's largest program aimed at reducing cigarette litter. Since its inception, the program has been implemented in more than 1,700 U.S. communities.
By providing people with easily accessible information and educational tools, as well as funding for ash receptacles and the distribution of pocket or portable ashtrays, Keep America Beautiful is making strides in educating the public and ensuring a cleaner tomorrow.
An effective local Cigarette Litter Prevention Program includes four proven, field-tested solutions or strategies for reducing cigarette butt litter:
- Encourage enforcement of litter laws, including cigarette litter;
- Raise awareness about the issue using public service messages;
- Place ash receptacles at transition points such as entrances to public buildings; and
- Distribute pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers.
For more info about CLPP click
here
.
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Tales from the Wildflower Trail
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Affiliate Reporting Due August 1
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Friendly reminder for all affiliates to begin working on your
Keep America Beautiful annual reports!
President's Circle:
Affiliates who complete the Good Standing requirements by August 1. Recipients receive a certificate for their achievement and will be honored at the annual KAB National Conference. President's Circle will be considered first for grants.
Good Standing:
Affiliates must complete the requirements by September 15 of the reporting year.
- Has an active board
- Has an Executive Director
- Six hours of training annually
- Governance Report
- Update Affiliate Profile Annually
- Community appearance Index
- Event Reporting and Cost/Benefit Analysis - Implement a minimum of one activity in each Impact Area - End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify Communities
- Pay Annual Fee (Based on population)
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Mississippi Department of Transportation
Trash Bash Events
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Each year, Keep Mississippi Beautiful and Mississippi Department of Transportation partner for a Trash Bash event in each MDOT District for a total of 7 clean up events. This year 2,078 MDOT employees volunteered to cleanup highways across their districts and collected over 156,600 pounds of litter. These volunteers translated into over $166,000 in volunteer hours. Thank you for helping us keep Mississippi beautiful!
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Keep Hancock County Beautiful
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Our affiliate Keep Bay Saint Louis Beautiful is in the process of migrating from a city affiliate to a county-wide affiliate. Keep Hancock County Beautiful has completed the first part of training towards certification for affiliation of Keep Mississippi Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful. Their goal is to become certified this October.
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Mississippi Recycling Coalition Conference
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KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL GRANTS AVAILABLE
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2019 Keep America Beautiful Community & Recovery Tree Planting Grants
The UPS Foundation - Due
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Community Tree Planting Projects will address one or more of the following: reducing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gas emissions through strategic plantings; emphasizing the importance of native trees; or planting fruit trees to produce fruit for local consumption. Post-Recovery Tree Planting Projects will be given to affiliates whose communities have lost significant trees as a result of a natural disaster. These grants will focus on planting trees that have a greater likelihood of withstanding disasters ( e.g., roots hold soil and prevent erosion, lessen runoff to mitigate flooding).
- Projects will demonstrate long-term operational and financial sustainability.
- Priority will be given to affiliates that encourage and have an articulated plan for UPS employee engagement in tree planting projects.
Keep America Beautiful's Community Restoration and Resiliency Fund
Rolling Deadline
Keep America Beautiful's Community Restoration and Resiliency Fund benefits Keep America Beautiful Affiliates that serve communities directly affected by natural and environmental disasters. The fund provides immediate and long-term support for initial and ongoing cleanup efforts and helps rebuild vital public spaces: parks, greenways, community gateways, Main Street/downtown areas, open spaces and more.
WALMART COMMUNITY GRANTS
From $250-$5,000
Through the Community Grant Program, our associates are proud to support the needs of their communities by providing grants to local organizations.
- The 2019 grant cycle deadline is Dec. 31, 2019.
- Application may be submitted at any time during this funding cycle. Please note that applications will only remain pending in the system for 90 days.
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Future Dates:
June 6 National Secure Your Load Day
June 20 Wildflower Field Day, MSU Coastal Plains Branch, Newton, MS
Aug. 1 Keep America Beautiful President's Circle Deadline
Sept. 15 Keep America Beautiful Good Standing Deadline
Oct. 10-11 Keep MS/AL Beautiful Conference, Hattiesburg, MS
Oct. 29-30 Mississippi Recycling Coalition Conference, Oxford, MS
Feb. 12-14 Keep America Beautiful Conference, Memphis, TN
Feb. 26, 2020 KMB's Legislative Day, Jackson, MS
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